Homecoming Scandal
by CNJ
Summary: In their 2nd year at Connecticut U.,Randy Kirwan, Jana Morgan, Melanie Edwards, Logan Bruno & several other characters from the former Fabulous Five series get involved in a scandal that could ruin their college careers. Completed!
1. Prologue

Have another story; this one is about what used to be the Fabulous Five. It's a fanfic on the _Fabulous Five_ series by Betsy Haynes and this is when they're sophomores in college. The year is 2002 to 2004 and several characters are involved in a HUGE scandal at Connecticut U., including Jana Morgan, Randy Kirwan, Keith Masterson, Sara Sawyer and Melanie Edwards.

I sprinkle in a bit of the BSC characters in the beginning and in addition, Logan Bruno, as you may have read in some of my BSC high school stories, is now hanging out with Melanie Edwards and gets involved in this messy scandal too.

The usual disclaimers: Fab Five fans, any character that's familiar to you is Betsy Haynes, not the current author's. Ditto for BSC characters...Logan belongs to Ann Martin, not to the current author. Sooo, let the games begin!

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13 _

**1: Prologue**

**Randy:**

I love skiing. I was becoming a pro enough to try to high risky slopes. I was a bit disappointed that my long-time girlfriend Jana Morgan had gone in so early.

I thought she liked skiing as much as I did, but apparently she didn't because once we got out here this morning, she complained about the slipperiness of the slope and that her ankles hurt and the cold, then said that she hated having chilly, dry wind blowing in her face and blotching up her face.

She wasn't that proficient at the skis, so I had to hold her arm a few times. She'd fallen once backward and I'd slid down with her and had laughed, but she didn't find it funny. Finally, we fell on our faces at the bottom of the hill and got snow all in our collars and Jana really hated that and said she was going inside.

I got the feeling her mood was getting worse by the minute, so I let her go. Oh, well, those are the breaks. Jana's never been much of an athlete, so I really wasn't that surprised.

I didn't see anyone else I knew; Melanie Edwards and Logan Bruno had gone home to Bridgeport for the long weekend to their parents.

Things at Connecticut U. were going great. Jana and I were the most popular couple on campus. Last fall, I'd been voted Mr. Quarterback. Melanie had been the Homecoming Queen while Jana had won the Ms. Connecticut U. title.

And Logan, who's not one of my favorite people, won the Mr. Linebacker title. But a bunch of us cool kids hang out together...Jana, Melanie, Logan, Sara Sawyer, Matt Zeboski, Keith Masterson, Derek Travelstead, Tammy Lucero, Gene Actbin, and several others and I hang out together and socialize every weekend.

I got off the gondola and as I started down the steep hill, I finally spotted someone who looked vaguely familiar. Someone from Burkeview High, where we'd graduated from almost two years ago? I wondered.

Once we both reached the bottom of the hill, she bumped into me and apologized as her hood slid down. Bits of snow clung to her dark, dark hair. Oh...it was Mary Anne Spier, who used to go to Stoneybrook High. Gross.

She was one of the biggest nerds I'd ever met, almost as bad as Curtis Trowbridge had been. Thank the stars neither one of them go to Connecticut U. as far as I know.

"Ex-eck-scuse me..." Mary Anne's large brown eyes widened and she moved away fast. I know she's not fond of me either.

"Heeeeey, Mary Anne!" another voice called. I then saw another of her friends, Kristy, I think her last name was Tomlin? No, it was Thomas, who was another strange one; she was really tomboyish and I could see that when Mary Anne came over to her, that Kristy hadn't changed even though we're all college sophomores now.

Did they go to college in upstate New York or Vermont around here? I wondered as I watched them laugh and fool around with snowballs. Bizarre seeing them here of all places.

Then I saw another familiar person and I realized that it was Mona Vaughn, who used to go to Burkeview until eleventh grade. Then she'd transferred to Stoneybrook High and I'd heard she's been buddies with Kristy and Mary Anne and that baby-sitting bunch that they'd had back in high school.

* * *

"So..." I asked the girl who was standing by me in the snack bar later that afternoon. "What's your name again?"

"Cokie Mason," the girl pouted up her pink lips. She really was pretty and almost as flirtatious as Melanie Edwards. We moved through the line and got our food, then sat.

Cokie told me that she'd gone to SHS, but had dropped out after junior year. "...that school really sucked," she finished with a disgusted sigh. "We had a crappy principal and rotten teachers." I laughed.

"At Burkeview, most of our teachers were lame too," I told her. She wasn't in college, of course, but still lived in Stoneybrook with her parents and was working at Washington Mall at a clothing boutique. She'd come here for the weekend with a group of friends.

As we talked, I remembered Mr. Brooke, the battle-ax of Burkeview's principal, who'd blamed Jana and me for an incident in May of eleventh grade where some kids caused trouble at a baseball game at Stoneybrook High and I'd tried to protect Jana, but somehow, Brooke busted and blamed us and lumped us together with troublemakers like Keith Masterson and Matt Zeboski.

To make matters worse, Logan and Melanie had been involved, but had fled the scene, then were too chicken to stick up for us. Melanie and Jana had gotten into a humongous fight over that and stopped speaking for several months.

He'd ruined my senior year of high school by getting me kicked off the football team. The others were booted off teams, but most of them had deserved it. Well, good riddance to that.

I was here at Connecticut U. with a real shot at being a college quarterback. I was sooo glad to be away from that weasel of an excuse of a principal.

* * *

_A day later_...

Cokie leaned closer to me on the couch in the ski lodge as the sky slowly faded into darkness. I had to admit, she was hard to resist, but I made sure not to get too close to her and thank God Jana hadn't seen Cokie flirting with me or she'd have Cokie's neck!

Maybe it was a good thing that the door opened then, but I still hoped it wasn't Jana. It wasn't because whoever it was was moving very quietly as if they were trying to avoid being heard.

"Ohhhh, Mary _Anne_," Cokie's blue eyes widened, then her mouth curled into a sneer. "Randy, look at what the cat dragged in..."

I looked up and sure enough, there was Mary Anne, looking like her last friend had died and skulking toward the stairs. In fact, her eyes were really red and swollen as if she'd been crying for hours.

"Ohh, god..._damn_..." she muttered under her breath, apparently even more upset that we'd seen her. Cokie and I snickered.

"What's the matter?" I asked her. "Lost your place in a book?"

"None of your business, Randy..." Mary Anne muttered, fresh tears welling in her eyes, her brows slanting.

"Ooooh, it's _none of our business_," Cokie snickered and she and I cracked up again.

* * *

**Jana:**

I was still looking for Randy by early evening. I needed his help with some of the dance decorations for the dance that was being held in the main lodge.

I finally headed back to our own lodge. Sure enough, I heard laughing inside and recognized Randy's laugh.

I heard another voice, a girl's laugh and hoped that it wasn't that ditzy flirt, Cookie Manson or something flirting with him again. Honestly, that girl doesn't know how to keep her hands and her eyes to herself. On top of that, she's always giving me these snotty little looks.

"Randy..." I called, coming in. "Randy, I need you for..." I stopped right in the living room when sure enough, Cookie or Candy or whatever her ridiculous name was, fell from the couch onto the floor...from MY boyfriend's lap!

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, glaring at her, then narrowing my gray-blue eyes at her. She glared back, then lowered her powder-blue eyes at me in disdain.

"Nothing much," Randy told me, moving over to the chair, then helping Cookie or Candy up. I fought back a furious wave of jealousy and told myself that Randy's naturally very helpful. That's when I noticed someone moving toward the stairs. Mary Anne Spier. Oh.

Randy had mentioned that she and a couple of friends were staying here also. I didn't know she knew how to ski. She's so mousy, weirdly bohemian, and bookish.

Mary Anne glanced at me, then at Randy and Cookie fearfully. I saw that her eyes were really red and shadowed and that her hands were shaking. Her mouth opened, then quivered for a second, then without a word, she slipped upstairs.

I briefly wondered what her problem was, then turned back to Randy and told him that I needed his help with the decorations, ignoring Cookie...or whatever her name was.

"Hey, Cokie, you want to join us?" Randy asked. I shot Cokie a dirty look, then one at Randy also. He was kind of pushing it because he knows how I feel about Cokie.

Upstairs, I heard a door close, then a kind of gasp from one of the rooms and knew that it was Mary Anne crying again. That girl cries at the drop of a hat.

"No thank you..." Cokie apparently got my message, because she gave me one last scornful look, then headed up to her room. Randy and I headed out toward the main lodge.

"So...lucky you to run into Mary Anne Spier AND Cokie," I rolled my eyes. "So, what was Mary Anne's problem this time?"

"I dunno," Randy shrugged. "When Cokie and I were talking, she came in all upset and when she saw us, she cursed under her breath, I guess not happy to see us there, then I asked her what was wrong, she muttered _None of your business_. She looked like somebody died or something and when you came in, she was just about to start bawling again."

"Man, I have never seen a woman cry as much as that Mary Anne does," I shook my head and we both laughed. "I'm surprised she hasn't dehydrated herself."

"Maybe she has to drink a ton of water a day under doctor's orders to keep herself stocked in her waterworks supply," Randy quipped and we both laughed again.

Randy has such a great sense of humor and even though I was still a bit jealous of the sight of him sitting with Cokie, who is, much as I hate to admit it, pretty, I knew it was me that he REALLY loved. Randy likes a lot of people as just friends and a lot of those people happen to be girls.

Unfortunately, it's tough on me when those girls flirt with Randy. Oh, well, it's something I'll just have to get used to especially since Randy and I plan to get married as soon as we're through with college.


	2. Rumors of Scandal

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13 _

**2: Rumors Of Scandal **

**Randy:**

It was hard to believe what Gene Actbin was telling me, but he said something about us being in trouble. Jana and I had just gotten back from our ski weekend and now we were in Gene's room. Gene's roommate was out, so all of us...Jana, Gene, Rick McConnell, Matt Zeboski, and I had the room to ourselves.

"...well, they think we rigged the homecoming elections last fall," Gene told us in a hushed voice.

"Rigged the election?" I demanded. "Just because we were on the homecoming committee and some kids who didn't like who won want to pin the blame on us?"

"Maybe Melanie and Logan should be hearing this," Jana put in. "After all, Melanie won the Homecoming Queen title and Logan won Mr. Linebacker of the Raiders." The Raiders is the Connecticut U. football team.

"They've already heard about it," Matt told us. "And they're scared too." Melanie Edwards and Logan Bruno are two other members who hang around our group. Sometimes Sara Sawyer, Derek Travelstead, Tammy Lucero, and Parker Donovan hang out with us too. They all used to go Burkeview High with us.

"Scared of what?" I laughed. "Oh, sure, we sat and plotted to have the elections rigged. Well, it isn't our fault that some people claimed that their votes were lost and wanted another election. God, this is ridiculous."

"You forgot about the president of the Kappa Pis, Lawrence Talbot, " Rick put in. "Remember when that race wasn't decided for days and he yelled at his cousins, who was the secretary of that fraternity. Then all of a sudden, he was declared the winner?"

"But that incident had nothing to do with me or Jana," I insisted impatiently. "I won that quarterback title fairly and Jana won the Ms. Connecticut U. title fairly. God I can't believe how paranoid you all are being."

"Just..." Matt looked around nervously. "We should be careful of what we say outside this room." Gene and Rick nodded, then looked over at Jana and me.

"All right, I will," I sighed and rolled my eyes.

* * *

**Melanie:**

It turned out that Jana and Randy had gotten the news of us being implicated in this deal as soon as they'd gotten back from their ski trip. Rumors had been flying around that something fishy has happened in last fall's homecoming elections, rumors ranging from vote-stealing to actual bribery. Randy and Jana were skeptical of the rumors, but Logan and I were worried.

"After all, it was us who opposed the re-elections," Logan told us as the four of us sat in the campus cafe a few afternoons later after classes.

"That's because they would have kept on having election after election until the losers got their way," Randy slapped his glass down. "When it's the middle of football season, this school doesn't have time to waste."

"Is that why Dawson Beavers offered to 'help' you in Searles' class if you cleared away the confusion of the illegible votes?" Logan asked pointedly.

"Just what do you mean by that?" Randy glared at Logan.

"Just that...you were just about failing his class last semester and you would have been booted off the team...a second time."

Randy's mouth tightened and his blue eyes flashed. "Several people put more than one name in the same slot and you were only supposed to put one name and others were illegible. I cleared that up and second, Dawson did NOT offer to help me cheat if that's what you're implying, not that it'd be any of your business if he had been. And I wouldn't say that you're lily-white either in offering 'tips' on where to go for booze and other not-so-savory stuff if they voted for you."

Logan's face turned beet red, but before he could say anything, I put my hand on his arm and Jana took Randy's hand.

"Randy..." Jana said softly. Randy looked over at her, then relaxed some.

"Anyway, it's all just an unfounded rumor," Randy sipped his coffee. "They can't prove anything."

"I hope you're right," I muttered. I do remember Logan and me pointed out fun cellars and bars to go to in our candidate negotiations. The bartenders had offered them on-the-house drinks. But had there been anything _wrong_ with it? I hoped people didn't think so.

"You know what I think," Jana finally stated. "I think the students who supported the losing candidates are mad, so of course they started these rumors. This is their way of getting back at us."

"Yeah," Randy put in. I remembered how close some of those races had been and knew that students who had lost had quite a crowd on their side. A lot of them had demanded another election with the college board counting the votes.

* * *

I almost collided with Randy coming out of my philosophy class a week later. "Heyyy, what's wrong?" Randy asked when he saw my face as he steadied me. His blue eyes looked so sympathetic that I told him about the notice I'd gotten to report to the campus board on Friday afternoon.

"I got something too," Randy pulled a paper out of his backpack. It was the same one I got. "This it?"

"Yeah..." I nodded. "We're in trouble..."

"I think they're just going to ask us a few questions," Randy told me in a soft voice. We went outside and stood under a batch of evergreen trees, so no one could listen in. "It's just standard procedure whenever there's a question on something. They just want to ask everyone in the student elections, I'm sure."

"What about what Logan said about you..."

"They have nothing on that," Randy told me in his trademark soothing voice. "They can't do anything without proof. After all, this is college, not high school where they could bust you without proof." He patted my shoulder.

"I guess not." I can see why Jana's so crazy about him. He knows the right things to say at the right times and I know he's rescued Jana from a lot of binds.

"If they ask you anything about any of the others, just act like you don't know a thing," Randy continued. "They can't expect us to know everything about each other." He grinned.

"True." I smiled back and tossed my auburn hair over my shoulder. Randy then had another class, so he and I reluctantly parted.

* * *

**Jana:**

I stayed near the tree and watched Randy and Melanie smile at each other, then part. Certainly they wouldn't...no, Randy's naturally friendly with anyone.

It was hard, though, not to feel a pang of envy whenever Randy talked with another girl. In the back of my mind, these little questions go off, like, _Is she prettier than me?_ _Is she more fascinating than me?_ Cut it out, I told myself as I headed across the quad.

Anyway, Melanie's been going steady with Logan since our junior year in high school, when Logan transferred from Stoneybrook High. She would never sneak around behind his back and on top of that, she knows how it is with Randy and me.

I got to my European History class and sat and sighed, remembering all those times back in middle and high school when other girls would flirt with Randy. Randy and I had been a steady couple since sixth grade.

As Mr. Russo began droning on and on about Eastern Europe a hundred years ago, my mind drifted over to all the times, I'd thought I was losing Randy.

Back in sixth grade, there had been a girl, Taffy Sinclair, who'd liked him also. She'd had long blond wavy hair, was skinny, tall, and had disgustingly perfect facial features and was one of the biggest flirts in school. She'd also been so snobby and conceited that none of the other girls liked her, except this one girl, Mona Vaughn, who had been the homeliest, ugliest girl in the class.

Then at Wakeman Middle, it had been Laura McCall, who had been just as bad as Taffy and she used to sometimes try to take Randy away from me. Laura and I had hated each other with a passion.

I snickered to myself as I remembered one incident at the end of our seventh grade year, our class had taken a trip into New York City and to the Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Laura had been trying to get Randy's attention, claiming that she was miserable at home and crud like that, hoping to gain Randy's sympathy.

I myself hadn't been in a very good mood because my dad hadn't written me in a long time and on top of that, this girl, Katie, who I used to hang around with back then, wouldn't shut up about how wonderful it was that the Statue of Liberty was a woman and about this woman poet who wrote about the immigrants ad nauseatum. It had taken all my self-control not to tell her to shut up about the wonders of "Ms. Liberty."

Then on the ferry to the Statue, I'd seen Laura cozying up to Randy again and gotten really mad. Randy later came over and tried to apologize, but I'd been distant and cold, then Randy started on this long sob story about how miserable Laura was at home with her dad and his new girlfriend as if he expected me to join the "poor Laura" bandwagon. Really, Laura's dad had basically let her do whatever she felt like and they lived in this luxurious apartment with a maid and everything.

But then when we were climbing to the top of the Statue, Laura, who'd been drinking, had gotten sick and puked all over the stairs. We'd all been grossed out.

Laura had gotten stone drunk by the end of the trip and on the way home, Randy told me that he was glad I handled things better than Laura had about our parents being divorced and getting a parents' attention. That had made me feel better. Laura sure had gotten hers that day, I remembered with a smirk.

For a while that year, Sara Sawyer had been after him as well. I smiled softly as I thought of how our relationship had survived its ups and downs...

"...the pogroms' rising in Eastern Europe? Ms. Morgan." Suddenly Professor Russo was looking straight at me and so did almost everyone else. I'd tuned out and hadn't realized that he was asking everyone questions at random. Pogroms? Where? I racked my mind, trying to remember that event. Had I even read that chapter last night?

"Excuse me, but I missed part of the question?" I asked, trying to appear like I'd been leafing through my notebook and studying my notes, not daydreaming about Randy.

"Take two...now that you've joined us," Mr. Russo said sarcastically. "What event led to the rising of the pogroms in Eastern Europe?"

"Oh, I think...riots," I tried to remember anything about Eastern Europe in the late 1880's, early 1900's. Dull stuff about people who'd been dead a hundred years.

Yeah, I know enough about all the wars that happened then with the Communist revolution in Russia and all, but that historical stuff bored me out of my mind. How could Russians a hundred years ago affect us here in America, especially here at Connecticut U. today in 2003?

"Incorrect. Did you read chapter sixteen last night?" Professor Russo's dark eyes bore into me.

"Uh, yes, I did," I told him. Thank God, Mr. Russo bounced that pogrom question off another student and didn't grill me anymore.

I tried to keep my mind on the lecture as Daniel Scotts answered that question and rattled off about some leader named Nicholas or somebody being assassinated and all, but it was hard not to drift off again, especially since it was beginning to feel like spring outside.

"Verrrry good, Mr. Scotts..." Mr. Russo's voice droned as I watched the clock and waited for this snooze of a class to end.

* * *

I finally caught up to Randy later that afternoon after our classes and we talked a little about our day. It's too bad we didn't have any classes together this semester, but we always met for lunch and coffee, then met again after class.

Sometimes we go to one of our dorms or we'll go over to Logan or Melanie's dorm or the athletic quad. I could tell Randy had something on his mind as we headed back to his dorm. Sure enough, when we got back to the dorm, he showed me the notice he'd gotten to meet with the campus board this Friday.

"Oh, that again," I sighed, sitting on the bed.

"I'm sure it's just a few questions they're asking everyone involved in that election last fall," Randy told me as he sat and put an arm around me and we kissed. "But Melanie got one too and she's kind of freaked out over it."

"Oh, her..." I pulled away a little. "By the way, what was that all about?"

"What was..."

"I was passing by and saw you and Melanie outside Dwyer Hall," I told him. "Was Melanie...?"

"She wasn't flirting, if that's what you're asking," Randy laughed. "I know she's a big flirt, but she knows you and I are off limits."

"I guess..." I sighed. "I hope the board doesn't haul me in for questioning."

"They might, " Randy picked up a basketball and twirled it around a little. "But I wouldn't worry about it; it's just standard procedure. Don't be surprised if Melanie comes to you in a panic anyway." We both laughed.

"And Logan too," I added as I flopped back on the bed, giggling. Randy grinned and tossed the ball in the hamper, pretending to score a basket. I clapped softly.


	3. Keeping Up The Image

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13 _

**3: Keeping Up The Image **

**Logan:**

I squirmed as I waited for more questions. This was so uncomfortable.

"So the package of cocaine was brought over to you and you delivered it over to the car?" Mr. Conway, the dean demanded.

"I...guess so," I nodded, feeling like a beetle pinned to a piece of styrofoam and that the board members were the pins boring into me. Just great. Great.

I hoped my parents wouldn't get wind of this. Connecticut U. is about half an hour from Bridgeport, but a lot of kids from Burkeview go here and I hoped word wouldn't travel back to my parents, who'd have a fit.

Or even worse, the board might decide to pin something on me and get my thrown out and shipped back home to my parents in disgrace. No lame pun intended on "pinning." That would REALLY make my dad's year.

"So you were in possession of the drugs, handling it," the second board member barreled on.

"N-no, I didn't exactly _handle_ the stuff," I stuttered, my face flushing. I groped for the right words, so the couldn't heap more blame on me.

"So, Mr. Bruno, how did you get it to the car?" another one asked. "By carrying it with chicken tongs or maybe chopsticks?"

"I wish..." I muttered under my breath. Maybe I should have. Then they couldn't accuse me of being in "possession of drugs" and Kevin Resh, who'd I'd defeated for linebacker, would have kept his mouth shut about wanting another election and his cronies wouldn't have been squawking about "lost" votes, which really were illegible to the point of being ridiculous.

"Excuse me, Mr. Bruno?" Mr. Conway leaned toward me.

"I said, not exactly," I told him, trying not to sound like some scared little kid who'd been caught doing something naughty. Geez, this was as bad as being in the principal's office in grade and high school. Maybe worse.

"I...just passed it quickly," I said hastily, hoping that this grilling was almost over. Spanish Inquisition, take two and flash forward to the year 2003.

It was over, much to my relief. But then they told me that this investigation wasn't over, that I'd probably be called back for more questioning. Great. I practically fled out of there.

Melanie had been out here waiting, but by the time I came out, she was gone. Grand. Swell. Fabulous. She couldn't face this.

As I walked out of the Connecticut U. headquarters, I spotted two students with notepads. They eyed me a minute and I saw one of them had _Connecticut University Tribune_ across the top. Oh, heavenly, I mentally groaned as I fled the building. Student reporters to get the dirt on this. I'd better alert the others to this.

* * *

**Melanie:**

"Fantastic," Randy barked sarcastically on Saturday afternoon once we gathered in Matt Zeboski's room. "So the whole campus will be on our case, maybe the whole state of Connecticut! Did anyone here tip them off?"

"No..." Jana, Logan, Rick, Gene, Matt, and I said simultaneously.

"We'd better have our story straight in case they come sniffing us out for more info," Logan stated. I'd never seen him this tense.

"Well, what about Tammy, Sara, Keith, Parker, and Lawrence?" I put in. They're in this mess too and I hear they're being investigated like us. Can we trust them?"

"No..." Jana snorted. "Oh, but don't worry, Mel, everyone knows what a gossip Tammy is and Sara's not far behind..."

"Jana, wake up and smell the cappuccino," Matt barked. "neither Tammy or Sara have ever really liked you and Keith has it in for Randy, so they'll do everything possible to make you two look guilty and themselves look innocent. Perhaps you forgot what happened back in high school when Keith and Logan pinned the blame on you and Randy..."

"Thanks a lot..." I muttered, giving Matt a dirty look.

"I didn't put the blame on Randy that time," Logan's face went red as he seemed to remember that shoving incident back in eleventh grade where Jana, Randy, Keith and a few others got into trouble, then tried to blame others for ratting them out.

Even Jana and I had gotten into a huge fight over that because I'd been terrified and Logan had managed to pull my away from that fight. I'd known Randy and Jana had shoved and hit others, but I had _NOT_ ratted them out; we just refused to lie for them when we had been questioned.

* * *

**Randy:**

I was getting as worried as Melanie and Logan and the others. I was glad that Keith was being grilled too since I never could stand the guy. But so was I and I'd been called back a second time, this time a hearing.

And to make matters worse, Jana still wouldn't face the possibility of us being implicated in this mess. She was still clinging on the hope that it was all a lot of hot air and that the whole thing would be dropped in a matter of days.

"Come on, stop pacing, Randy," Jana lay flat on my bed as I got ready for the second questioning. So far, she hadn't been called back in, but she might soon. "Relax. You're usually not this tense." She hung her head upside-down and smiled up at me with that model smile. She'd modeled for a calendar last fall, back when we were running. Ordinarily, her gray-blue eyes and pretty face smiling made me feel better, but not today.

"Yeah, and I'm not usually about to be busted for 'rigging an election' and I'm not usually accused of cheating," I snapped. I'm not normally this impatient with her, but lately she's been wearing in my nerves. She's been minimizing the seriousness of our situation, I guess trying to make me feel better, but so far, her efforts were making me feel worse.

"Come on, Randy, stop exaggerating!" Jana sat up with an annoyed sigh and ran a hand through her medium-brown wavy hair. "Nothing will come out of this. They'll just ask you questions and if somebody tries to pin something on you, it'll probably be a light slap-on-the-wrist type of reprimand."

"Little reprimand?" I demanded. "They suspect me of cheating, which for your information, can get you expelled in college. And a lot of students are suspicious of us and will do anything to get us busted. Some of them are coming forward with dirt on us this minute. Wake up and smell the coffee, Jana."

"Honestly, Randy, their paranoia has gotten to you!" Jana snapped, standing up. "Well, if you go to that hearing looking like you're facing a firing squad, of course they'll assume you're guilty of something. Just go in there and act confident. Don't let a few weasally campus deans or whatever intimidate you. After all, as you insist, you did win that quarterback title fairly and if you in there and keep that in mind, they won't slap anything on you."

"Yeah, right, Jana," I bit back sarcastically. "And then they'll think I'm some arrogant jerk who can't take a few questions. Face it, Jana, we're busted." Jana looked at me for a long minute.

"I guess if you've decided we are, then we are," she finally said quietly.

"I'm glad you're seeing that," I told her.

"Yeah, go in there all defeated and droopy," Jana nodded. "And maybe grovel a little." With that, she gave me a long, scornful look, then fled the room, slamming the door behind her. Terrific. Just when I needed Jana's support, she hid behind a wall of delusions, then is mad at me because I'm facing the grimness of our situation.

I could be expelled and have to go back home to Bridgeport. So could she, Logan, Melanie, Keith, Matt, Tammy, and several others.

Logan's been a wreck about the whole deal for this entire week. But at least I'm calm about my situation, while Logan's been spazzing out over what his dad's going to say and oh, how he'll be so disgraced.

Doesn't he realize we're all concerned about that? I suspected they didn't, since he and Melanie are two of the most self-centered people I've ever known.

* * *

**Melanie:**

Is what his parents think and how he'll be "disgraced" all Logan Bruno can think about? Hey, come on, if we get busted, I'll be disgraced too. I don't think my parents will be thrilled either if I get thrown out of Connecticut U. and had to go back home to them.

"...the last thing I need is to face a bad scene with my parents," Logan wailed, pacing the floor the night after his hearing was over. "I could just see that the panel didn't believe me."

"Well, I didn't do so hot either," I sniped. "So, maybe we'll both get thrown out together and both of us go back home and face our parents. Hey, why don't we get our parents together and let them yell at us as a happy little foursome?"

"Very funny, Melanie," Logan shot back. What was happening to us? I wondered. I thought we'd stick by each other through anything, even this mess together. It seemed like Jana and Randy were. But then, they're the sickeningly perfect couple.

Logan went right back to ranting on how this was going to ruin his life. Yep...back to himself again, Logan Bruno, center of the universe. He wasn't even mentioning how I'D be affected by all this. I never really realized how selfish he is.

"Well, Logan, you aren't the only one who'll go through this," I put in. "I'm going to face a scene with my parents too, especially my mom, who thinks I'm some goof-off who's only concerned about boys, clothes, and partying. Back in high school, she gave me this big lecture about how I don't take life seriously and should be thinking about dull things like 'life-planning' and careers and all that crud. I know if I get kicked out of here, I'll have to go back home and Mom'll _REALLY_ be on my case then! Ohhhh, she'll just love it!"

"Melanie, do you ever think of anyone besides yourself for a change?" Logan challenged.

I almost laughed at his ridiculous question. "That's funny, because I've been wondering the same thing about you!"

"Maybe I should never..." Logan's blue eyes kind of glazed over a minute.

"Never what?" I demanded.

"Broken up with Mary Anne Spier in ninth grade..." he muttered under his breath.

"What?" I asked, totally bewildered. Who was this Mary Anne Spiers or whatever that he was bringing up now! Maybe one of his past girlfriends. "Let's forget about past girlfriends or whoever Anna Spiers was and stop the pity party on yourself, because I'm not joining. Have a little sympathy for me too."

"Lord, I don't think any of my past girlfriends were as shallow and self-centered as you," Logan semi-returned to the present.

"Look who's talking," I countered and got up and left the room to escape Logan's self-pity.

How dare he accuse _ME_ of being selfish! Other people have accused me of that in the past, but I never dreamed Logan would. And Logan is the champion of selfishness!

Maybe that was why Anna or whoever she was broke up with him! I stalked out into the windy March night.

I passed by Jackson Hall, where I knew Randy lived. Randy. Jana was so lucky to have him. Randy always was there for Jana and always provided his shoulder to lean on whenever Jana needed him. Randy wasn't wrapped up in himself like Logan. I could see now why he disliked Logan.

* * *

**Randy:**

A soft knock sounded on my door. I half-hoped it was Jana, maybe having woken up to the reality of our situation and possibly come back to apologize for not being there for me earlier this week. We hadn't spoken since Monday when our fight happened. But when I opened the door, it was Melanie.

"Oh...Randy, I'm sooo glad you're here," Melanie rather fell into my room and onto my bed.

"What's the matter?" I asked, closing the door to my room. Thank God my roommate was out.

"Logan," she grumbled, turning on her back and facing the ceiling. "He's so self-centered, it's hard to believe he's evolved from an amoeba." I stifled a laugh. Haven't I always known that?

"Did you two get into a fight?" I asked. Melanie nodded and told me about how Logan's been whining about what his parents are going to say, ad nauseatum.

Her blue eyes were moist as she finished and I handed her a tissue. At least, unlike Jana, Melanie was facing reality, which was amazing because sometimes she can an incredible ditz. But now it seemed like she was facing up to this better than either Jana or Logan.

"Wow, that's tough," I said, putting an arm around her.

"So, is Jana around?" Melanie looked around.

"No..." I debated telling her about the fight we'd had. Melanie looked up at me with such sympathy that I decided to spill it. After all, she'd spilled her story to me, so I figured that I owed her one.

So I told her about what had happened the other night and Jana's not facing the grim truth. "...she's just minimizing the seriousness of our situation and refuses to consider the possibility that we could get kicked out of college," I finished.

"Oh, that's awful," Melanie gasped softly. "It seems like neither Jana or Logan can stick by us when we need them."

"So it's every man out for himself," I quipped grimly. "And I thought we'd have a great four years here, all of us together."

"Well...you and I can stick together since we're facing the facts and not stuck on ourselves so much," Melanie gazed at me. The lamp made her auburn hair glow and even though I'd always know she was pretty, tonight, she seemed vulnerable and alone and that added to her appeal.

I could see why Logan was so in love with her. Well, almost as much as Logan seemed to be in love with himself.

Maybe _I_ could give Melanie the support she so needed and hadn't been getting from Logan. We sat quietly for a long time, then kissed. At first, it felt a little weird to be kissing another girl besides Jana, but maybe...

"You're so thoughtful...more so than Logan ever was," Melanie whispered as we leaned close, then fell back on the bed. I lay beside her and within minutes, we were making out, petting, and necking.

* * *

**Jana:**

As I stopped for coffee at the campus snack bar a few night later, someone asked me, "Hey, did you and Randy have a fight?" I looked up and saw Logan standing by my table.

"Oh, hi." I smiled at him and he sat. "How did you guess?"

"I haven't seen Randy with you lately." Logan had a club soda with him. He tried to smile, but looked like his last friend had died.

"Yeah, we did," I explained. "I was trying to cheer him up because he was so down about this whole mess, but he wouldn't hear of it and accused me of being delusional or something like that. I mean, I know what's going on, but he accused me of 'minimizing' things."

"That's Randy for you," Logan muttered, sipping his club soda. In a way, I could see why he disliked Randy. Then I realized that I hadn't seen Melanie with him this week.

"So...what's the deal with you and Melanie?" I asked. Logan rolled his eyes and told me about the fight he'd had with her. "What a joke," I told him. "She should talk." I was happy to see that Logan wasn't acting all defeated and negative like Randy; even though he was worried about being in trouble and how his parents would react, he wasn't sinking into the melodrama that Randy was acting out. What a refresher.

I actually found Logan easy to talk to. I could see why Melanie liked him. Maybe Logan and I could cheer each other up. I had the feeling we were going to need it in the next few weeks.

"You know, you're easier to talk to than Melanie lately," Logan told me.

"Maybe we could stick by each other and pick each other up when the going gets rocky in this mess," I suggested. "Maybe if we looked united, we can convince the board that they're making a big mistake and let us off with a light slap-on-the-wrist type of deal."

"I hope so," Logan nodded. "Well, thanks for lending me your support. I really needed that. It's too bad Melanie's too wrapped up in her own affairs to offer any support." We sat and talked a little, then we both had classes, so we finished the coffee and club soda and parted, promising to touch base soon.


	4. The Cover-Up is Over

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13_

**4: The Cover-Up Is Over **

**Logan:**

It was a relief to finally be on spring break. I needed to get away from the tension surrounding us, so I headed home to my family. So did most of the others in our group. I wound up giving Jana a ride home.

Her mom invited me in and we sat and talked a while. I noticed her mom and stepdad seemed a little tense and I wondered if they knew about the fight between Jana and Randy.

I guess they didn't because when Ms. Pinkerton asked how Randy was, Jana kind of mumbled that he was home with his parents. I stifled a grin.

"Did you two hear about a rumor flying around Connecticut U. about some of last fall's homecoming elections?" Mr. Pinkerton, who everyone called Pink, asked as he picked up that latest Bridgeport Post from the coffee table.

"Oh...God," Jana gasped. We came over and looked. Sure enough, there was a small article on it. Oh...God! If word gets around Bridgeport...better play it safe, act like...

"Well, we did hear something on it, but we don't really know too much about it," I shrugged, feigning innocence. I mentally thanked God that my parents didn't subscribe to the _Bridgeport Post_ and hoped it wouldn't be in any of the other newspapers and that my parents wouldn't hear it from any of the other Bridgeport parents who had kids at Connecticut U. And there were a lot of former Burkeview High kids who went to Conn. U. I tried not the think of the field day Dad would have on it, especially if he knew I'd been implicated.

* * *

**Melanie:**

I was a little bit surprised to get an e-mail from Randy later on that night after I was back home with my parents. Randy had given me a ride home along with Gene earlier once classes let out for spring break.

(**Randy**) **Quarterbackaol** to (**Melanie**) **Cheerlder67compuserve:** _Hey, Mel_..._did you see the _Bridgeport Post_? They have an article on the scandal_. _I hope this doesn't make us toast_. _Dad saw it and asked me if I knew anything about it_. _I played at being the bystander; I told him that I'd heard about it vaguely, but didn't really know what it was about_. _Thought I'd pass this on to you just in case your 'rents see it and ask anything_.

**Cheerlder67compuserve** to **Quarterbackaol:** _Thanks, Randy_. _I think I might need it; my parents get that paper_. _As it is, Mom's worried because she knows about my fight with Logan_.

**Quarterbackaol** to **Cheerlder67compuserve:** _Oh, God_..._you didn't tell her anything about Logan_...?

**Cheerlder67compuserve** to **Quarterbackaol:** _No, none of the scandal detail or his involvement in it, although I was a little tempted_. _But that would get all of us in deep sludge with our 'rents_. _I just told her that it was something really personal about where we were going for dates or something mundane like that_.

**Quarterbackaol** to **Cheerlder67compuserve:** _Let's hope that the others don't spill it all to their folks on us_. _Have you heard from Jana?_

**Cheerlder67compuserve** to **Quarterbackaol:** _No_. _And the stupid thing is, I know she's home for spring break_. _And naturally I know Logan is home too, but he hasn't spoken to me since our argument_. _This is getting depressing, so I'm going to log out_. _Good night, Randy_. _Thanks for offering me your shoulder_.

**Quarterbackaol** to **Cheerlder67compuserve: **_Thank you and good night_. _Talk soon, Mel_.

* * *

**Keith:**

By the end of spring break, I figured that I'd covered Parker, Sara, Randy, Melanie, Logan, and the other's butts long enough. All's I was doing was getting myself deeper in trouble. Once I was called into the dean's office, I decided to tell the truth. After all, Parker and Sara had been on the voting committee.

"...they're my friends," I told Mr. Conway, trying to look regretful when I was called into the office. "So I hate to see them get into trouble, but it doesn't do them any good to let them completely off the hook, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," Mr. Conway stated. "And you either, Mr. Masterson."

"Whaaa...?" I had to struggle not to show that I was startled, taken off-guard.

"There's plenty of evidence of vote-tampering on your part, Mr. Masterson." Act responsible and repentant, I told myself. "Yes, I guess so and I'm really sorry," I tried to look regretful. "So, I'm prepared to accept any..." I tried to think up a word that would make me sound like I was really remorseful. "...consequences of any actions I did wrong."

"You should be," Mr. Conway said shortly. "Mr. Masterson, you may go now, and you'll be receiving a notice in the mail within two weeks regarding the disciplinary action taken against you."

"Yes, sir," I stood and headed out. I was surprised that my legs were shaking a little as I walked down the hall. Much as I hated to admit it, I was scared.


	5. The Great Expulsion

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13 _

**5: The Great Expulsion **

**Logan:**

I saw the envelope inside my door. My heart was banging as I picked it up that last day of classes before final exams. Oh...God, right now I'd know where my future lay...if I was expelled, I'd be toast; if I was suspended...

I opened the envelope with trembling fingers, praying that I'd just get a light slap on the wrist, a fine maybe. With summer on the way, I'd probably be getting a summer job, so maybe I could use the money to pay that fine.

It took a minute to focus on the words. _Dear Mr_. _Bruno_: _We regret to inform you that you are hereby suspended for one semester starting in the fall of 2003_... Oh. My stomach lurched.

It could have been worse, I tried to comfort myself. I could have been expelled. But a whole semester, I thought numbly.

If I tried to tell my parents I was taking a break from college, they'd want to know why. I couldn't afford to live on my own or even anywhere else with a roommate and it was my dad who was footing my tuition bill. Glorious. Was he going to have a field day with this!

* * *

**Jana:**

I headed right over to Melanie's dorm after I'd gotten my letter. Expelled! Thrown out! I still couldn't believe it! I had to see if she'd gotten her letter.

I ran up the stairs and knocked on her door. She opened it and right away I noticed her eyes were puffy. So she'd probably gotten hers. I wondered if she'd been thrown out also.

"Hey, Mel, did you get your notice?" I asked, sitting on her bed.

"Yeah..." Melanie nodded and showed me hers. "I got suspended for a semester. My parents are going to be thrilled to pieces at this."

"You only got suspended!" I demanded.

"Only?"

"Yeah, only!" I practically flung my notice at her. "I got expelled!"

"Oh, Jana, I'm so sorry..." Melanie gasped. "I heard some others got kicked out too..."

"Like who?" I countered.

"Sara Sawyer," Melanie supplied. "She called a little while ago practically in tears. And I heard Keith got the boot also and is fuming."

"What about Logan and Randy?" I pushed. Melanie shrugged, her eyes welling up.

"We're toast..." Melanie reached for some tissues. "My parents are going to kill me...Mom's always lecturing me on being more focused as it is..."

"Well, my parents aren't going to be too thrilled either!" I shot back, furious at how dense she is. "Mom gets on my back too about planning my life and all that! And thanks to some little vote mishaps we mismanaged, my life is ruined! Wrecked!"

"So's mine..." Melanie protested.

"Just for one semester, then you'll go back and finish, but I'm history. Randy and I had it planned out. We were going to be college sweethearts, then when we graduated, we were going to marry, save up and get our house and Randy was going to be a football player in the NFL, then maybe later an NFL anchor. But thanks to this mess, that's all shot!"

"What about MY life?" Melanie wailed. "Sure, I'll be coming back here, but you know Logan and I had a fight and if we break up for good, I'll be all alone; I won't have anybody!" Melanie blinked back more tears and sniffled pathetically.

"Oh, quit the sniveling and self-pity!" I snapped, losing all patience with her. "You'll find somebody else, if not Logan. Can't you think of anyone besides yourself!"

"First Logan, then you!" Melanie bit back. "Maybe you and Logan oughta get together and rake me over on how oh-so-selfish I supposedly am..." She doesn't know the half of it, I thought.

Melanie and I had had this argument several times before going all the way back to high school. She _IS_ self-centered and listening to her whining about being all alone annoyed me to no end.

"I'll see you around," I told her when she'd paused in her pity party. With that, I stalked out of her room quickly, not giving her time to say anything else. I had to see about Logan and the others.

* * *

**Keith:**

Just who did those weasels high on the hills on this campus think that they were, kicking me out of _THEIR_ college! I fumed as I stormed across the quad. And after I'd helped them catch the real culprits in that election fiasco! But nooo, they still pinned a lot of the blame on me. Those stupid assholes don't know a thing!

Speaking of assholes, here came two of them right now...Parker Donovan and Matt Zeboski. They saw me and headed right toward me. Uh-oh, I realized when they glared at me, then stepped in front of me.

"Sooo, what's the idea of dumping the blame on us for YOUR sleaziness!" Mat snarled. Stay cool, I counseled myself. Act like you don't know a thing about it.

"What blame?" I shot back. "I got busted too. They threw me out."

"Good," Parker stated coolly, his hazel eyes flashing. "I'm suspended, but Matt wasn't so lucky; he was kicked out too."

"Then why are you trying to blame me for this mess!" I snapped. "You two brought it on yourselves!"

"You sure helped it along!" Matt yelled.

"How?" I shrugged innocently.

"Conway had nothing on us before he hauled you into his office, then all of a sudden, he had this new info on us!" Parker told me. "No way could he have found out any of that if you hadn't opened your fat mouth!"

I decided they were pushing me into a wall, so I took the offensive. Randy...that's right, he and Logan had been questioned right before me...

"For your info...I didn't rat you out if that's what you're thinking," I told them. "I just did MY part, but didn't say a thing about you two..."

"Riiight, Masterson..." Matt snorted.

"Did you two know that Kirwan was also hauled in right before me?" I asked. "And Bruno? Remember back in high school, when we were juniors and that fiasco happened at that baseball game at Stoneybrook High?"

"Yeah, some kids shoved each other and there was a brawl," Parker shrugged. "What does this have to do with today and with Logan and Randy? How does it all figure?"

"Think about it. Logan ratted us out so he could get off the hook. And Kirwan tried to make himself look like this big hero even though we all know he hit and shoved other kids," I told them.

"They both tried to play innocent while ratting out everyone else. So what makes you think this election deal's any different? Hey, I suspect they snitched on me too because now that I think of it, Conway had more info on me at the second hearing." I widened my eyes as if I'd just remembered this.

Matt and Parker looked at each other, then at me as if weighing my words. I guess they bought my story, because they kind of let up on me, then as they walked away, started raking Randy and Logan over the coals. I hid a grin as I headed in the opposite direction.

* * *

**Randy:**

Expelled! Thrown out! Dismissed permanently! I'm so far beyond screwed that it isn't funny! Boy, my parents are going to have a Dr. Laura party on me once Connecticut U. shoves me out of my dorm for good, especially since they're hoisting my tuition, including my dorm rent.

I'm not looking forward to the packing. I wondered how Melanie and Jana had fared.

As I got back to my dorm later that afternoon the day I got the letter that wrecked my life, I got another fine treat...I discovered that my door was in a crumpled heap on the floor. I stared in shock. What...! Who...!

I stepped through the frame, which still had half of the door hanging onto it cautiously, figuring maybe somebody had broken in to steal something, maybe my TV or my stereo. No one was there.

My roommate wasn't going to be ecstatic about this. Well, he'd be happy about my being pitched out of here, because he and I aren't exactly friends; he's an engineering major who sees me as this dumb jock because I'm into football. Well, it looks like next fall for me is all shot. So were my plans of being in the NFL. I couldn't believe any of this.

The other half of my door was sprawled by my bed in splinters. No, nothing appeared to be stolen or tampered with, but I did see a note on my TV. _Swell sport, Kirwan!_ it read. _Maybe you should be the next season's mascot as a weasel or a rat! After all, you've had great experience ratting out your teammates!_

"Ohhh, just what I need!" I yelled, ripping the note off the TV. I studied the handwriting and it looked like...Matt Zeboski. I ripped the note into shreds, imagining it to be that clown's head and dumped it into the trash can.

"Hey, Randy, what'd you do to the door?" my roommate, Charles, poked his head in and glared at me.

"Nothing!" I glowered back. "I was some moron on the team who has some stupid pique on me. I'm not in the mood, so don't start on me."

With that, I stalked past Charles through the remains of the door and out of the dorm into the spring evening. Just then, I saw Melanie Edwards heading toward me and I waved. Seeing her made me feel somewhat better, but I was still boiling inside.

"Hey, Mel," I said once we got close. "How'd you fare?"

"Suspended," Melanie sighed.

"You did better than me." I laughed a bitter laugh. "I'm pitched out for good."

"Oh, Randy...I'm sorry," Melanie gasped. She gave me a little hug.

"What did Jana get?" I asked. Jana and I hadn't spoken in a month, but I still needed to know how she was doing.

"Not so great," Melanie sighed again. "She's been thrown out too. She's furious about it."

"Fabulous," I muttered sarcastically as we walked along.

"Sara and Keith got the boot too," Melanie continued. "So did Matt."

"And Matt's the stupid idiot who busted down my door and left a nasty little note."

"What?"

"Yep." I nodded "I come to my room and find to door in pieces on the floor and taped to my TV in Matt's handwriting is this note about what I rat I am as if it's my fault that he got busted."

"Oh, Randy..."

"Of course, he's too chicken to sign his name or say it to my face," I added. "My parents...are just going to go to town on me when I'm shipped back home to them. They're giving us...expellees a week to pack everything and move out."

I gave a short, ironic laugh. "Isn't this just great? We get out of exams next week. What an early start to an oh-so-wonderful summer vacation."

* * *

**Jana:**

Logan had his head down when I caught up to him. "Logan...hi," I said, falling into step with him.

"What...oh, hi," he mumbled. I wondered if he'd been expelled too.

"Bad, huh?" I asked.

"Yeah..." Logan's voice sounded a little husky and I was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Logan, I'm not doing so great either," I put my hand on his arm. "I'm...finished here too."

"I'm sorry about that," Logan took a sharp intake of breath. "I'm suspended."

"Lucky you," I said with a bitter laugh.

"Yeah, real lucky when my parents kill me," Logan's hand came up to his mouth and he fidgeted with it there a minute and I hoped he wouldn't break down and cry right here in public.

I had my own troubles to deal with and much as I sympathized with Logan because I know how strict his dad is, I didn't want to deal with Logan emoting all over the place.

We headed toward the cafe. Just then two guys stepped in front of us.

"Sooo, Bruno, are you going to be our mascot as the Connecticut U. rat when you get back from being suspended?"

"What!" I snapped. The goons turned out to be none other than Parker Donovan and Matt Zeboski. I saw Sara Sawyer next to Parker. I glared at the little priss and she glared back. I was glad she'd been expelled too because I never could stand her.

"Listen, you two," Logan held out his hands. "I got the shaft too, so don't rag on me."

"Sure, sure, you coward," Matt growled, balling his hands into fists. I hoped he wasn't going to start a fight with Logan. "Rat us out, then ask us to pity you, you poor little skunk from the Southern Peach Plantation because you're sooo afraid of your rich little parents yelling at you about how you've disgraced their little genteel name..."

"Hey, I didn't rat you out," Logan protested. "I didn't tell Conway about your part..."

"Right, right, right..." Sara butted in.

"Just shut up, Sara!" I shouted.

"No..." Sara narrowed her eyes at me and jutted her chin out. "You shut your phony, pompous mouth!" I fought the urge to slap her prissy little face because I didn't feel like being dragged into a fight with her; she wasn't worth my time. Matt's fist flew out and smacked Logan's jaw.

"Just be warned..." Matt hissed as Logan clutched his mouth in pain. "We remember high school when you and Kirwan snitched on us in that baseball fight at Stoneybrook High...so if you know what's good for you, you'll watch your ass."

"Hey, leave us alone!" I ordered. "Come on, Logan, let's find better company than this garbage."

As Logan and I stalked away, I heard Sara scream after me, "Two-faced, phony, fake little witch!" By the time we got to the cafe, I noticed Logan's hands were shaking a little and I saw a bruise forming on his chin.

I was tense myself and just plain mad. Who did those bozos think they were threatening us and blaming this whole mess on us when they _KNOW_ it was their own doing!


	6. Boomeranged

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13 _

**6: Boomeranged **

**Jana:**

Almost zero hour. My last night at Connecticut U. Because Pink, my stepdad, was covering my tuition, he'd been notified of my being kicked out. And naturally, neither he or Mom were exactly overwhelmed with pleasure at the news.

I kept the window open as I packed; the air-conditioning hadn't been turned on yet and the evening was warm and humid. It seemed ages ago, but it was just two short years ago on a warm night much like this one that Randy and I had been in my living room at home, making plans for college. We'd of course be together and Randy would be on the football team at Connecticut U. and I'd be on the homecoming committee. We'd be back on the top of the social strata.

We'd felt that we deserved that after our disaster in high school where we'd been at the top for just mostly our sophomore year. In the fall of our junior year, the kids who weren't so popular and a lot of geeks started shoving their way up to the top by starting some dumb movement to improve the media image of youth by writing letters to newspaper editors. As if they could really change this messed-up world.

It had actually been started by some dweeb at Stoneybrook High, our rival. She was in this goody little group of baby-sitters and of course they joined in and actually called their campaign Operation Good Kids or something inane like that, the kind of name that hopelessly idealistic peons think up.

And then they'd gotten almost their whole school in on it, then our high school, Burkeview, caught wind of it and a lot of kids got in on that nonsense and sent letters also. Our group struggled to stay on top, but a lot of kids stopped paying attention to us and started hanging around with and admiring the losers of the school.

Then in the spring of eleventh grade, that awful mess of the baseball game came where it ended in a brawl. Randy had tried to protect me from being pushed or hit, but a whole bunch of our group got the blame and Burkeview's rotten excuse of a principal, Mr. Brooke had hauled us into his office and blamed our group for the incident and kicked the athletes off the teams, which wrecked our group at Burkeview High for senior year.

It was the night before our high school graduation that Randy and I had vowed to get back on the top of things. We'd been sooo excited to be adults out on our own and looked forward to great parties, games, homecoming dances and everyone admiring us once again. And we know a lot of cool kids, but none of the nerdy losers from Burkeview would be at Connecticut U. with us.

Well, we'd thought we were adults, but it's really our parents footing the bill for our lifestyle. Our fun didn't last because of some idiots screaming foul at last fall's homecoming election results and getting us busted.

Now, we'll be shunted back home to our parents and be treated like kids again. I was depressing myself just thinking about it, so I was relieved when Logan came by.

"If I get any more depressed, I'll have to start digging," Logan moaned. He had several suitcases with what I guessed to be all his stuff.

"Me too," I laughed a little. "I feel like we've taken a huge step backward into kidhood again. It'll be even worse, because as it is, they probably think we're too irresponsible to handle being adults since we've had this mess and they'll be telling us what to do like we're back in high school again."

"Oh...God..." Logan flopped on the bed. "Don't remind me. Dad got the news and just called me a while ago to bawl me out for like about an hour. What's worse is that Hunter's not too thrilled about having to share the game room again with me again after he and Kerry had it to themselves for a couple of years." Hunter and Kerry are Logan's younger siblings. "This is going to be sooo embarrassing facing my little brother and sister."

"My parents aren't jumping for joy either," I told him as I flopped on the bed next to him. I'd met Logan's family before and felt sorry for what he was going to have to face once he got home. Even though he was only suspended, I knew his dad was really going to kick his butt big-time for getting into this mess.

We lay on the bed a long time, listening to the crickets chirp outside and whispering little things back and forth. The bed had a huge indentation in the middle, so we wound up on top of each other, dozing off...

* * *

Logan offered me a ride home the next morning and gratefully I accepted. It felt a little weird waking up with him in my bed since he used to be Melanie's boyfriend.

But Melanie and I hardly talk anymore; not once has she called to ask how I was and if the truth be told, I was not interested in listening to her wail and whine anymore about being alone. She obviously doesn't care about Logan or me. Just her stupid self. That's all.

I called my mother and stepdad to let them know that I had a ride home, so they wouldn't have to drag the half-hour ride to Conn. U. to pick me up.

"Logan's giving you a ride." My mother said it like a statement.

"Yes, Mother," I sighed and rolled my eyes. She knew that Randy and I hadn't spoken in a little over a month now. Would we ever speak again? I wondered with a weird pang. Randy seemed to be making himself really scarce these days anyway and I have a sneaking suspicion that he's been hiding out with Melanie.

"I really wish you and Randy would work things out instead of just blaming each other," she stated.

"We're not blaming each other," I told her. "It's more complicated than that. Logan's been more understanding, especially since he and Melanie broke up."

"But with your best friend's ex-boyfriend..." Mom started, then hesitated.

"Looks like ex-best friend," I added. "Melanie hasn't exactly been supportive in the past few weeks either. So, I'm on my way home. Bye." With that, I hung up and got into the car with Logan and we started for home. The campus was quiet and I guessed that most students were still asleep. They're just going on with their lives while we're way beyond screwed. Dandy. Grand.

"...so there I was with the ball in my hand and running and before I knew it, I'd scored a touchdown," Logan finished his story on his glory days on the football team back when he'd gone to Stoneybrook High.

He'd gone there for two years, then the summer after tenth grade, his family had moved to Bridgeport and in eleventh grade, he'd started going to Burkeview and that's where he and Melanie started dating.

I sighed again and stared out the window as we edged into Bridgeport. How bleak, I thought bitterly. Home sweet home had never looked so depressing.

Logan had been talking nonstop for the whole half-hour trip. He started in on some story about Kerry hiding a cat. "...and to make matters worse, it was my then-girlfriend's cat and boy was she upset. She was a big crybaby as it was and spend days bawling over that cat, I think its name was Tibsy or something like that.

"Then Hunter's allergies started acting up with Kerry having the cat in her closet and then this girlfriend was baby-sitting them and she was the one who found the cat and when I got back, she blamed me! Can you imagine? I didn't know Kerry was hiding a cat and that the cat was hers. She didn't let me explain, just stalked out and slammed the door."

"So, that's how you two broke up?" I asked, hoping he'd end his monologue. I'd heard that he'd gone out with a girl from Stoneybrook for almost two years.

"Not really. We broke up in April of ninth grade because she felt that I was getting...get this...too controlling. Sheesh. Her problem was that she was way too sensitive for her own good and spent too much time thinking about things."

Off he was again on another monologue about some of the friends he used to have back in Stoneybrook. And boy, some of those friends sounded like losers anyway. It slowly dawned on me.

"You used to hang out with that group who baby-sat back then, didn't you?" I asked, finding it hard to believe that Logan Bruno ever hung out with such geeks. That whole group had been a bunch of hopelessly idealistic peons who were always trying to change the world.

"Sort of," Logan shrugged.

"Cheesh..." I snorted, ground out my cigarette and stared out the window. Then I flipped on the radio to some rock station.

Logan kept up his talk over the radio. I slowly was getting the feeling that he was keeping up a pretense when I knew he was falling apart inside over this scandal. He reached over and flipped the radio to some country station. I usually like country music, but today I wasn't in the mood to listen to twanging guitars and drawling drawn-out vocal soap operas.

"Hey, this reminds me of Kentucky," he told me.

"Well, it reminds me of backwoods hillbillies," I snapped, getting tired of Logan's facade of going over old memories. Maybe if this trip had been longer, Logan would be going over how swell Kentucky was. Well, I was in no mood for it. I guess I'd gotten to Logan, because he wilted a little, then turned off the radio as we headed up toward my house.

"My dad likes this music and he's no hillbilly," he told me stiffly.

"Oh, right, he's filthy rich," I muttered.

"Quit it with the sarcastic little comments!" Logan sniped. "I gave you a ride home, didn't I?"

"Well, yeah, I guess you did."

"Some thanks I git..." he mumbled as he pulled over to my apartment.

"Oh, and I'm supposed to be oh-so-grateful!" I was realizing that he is almost as self-centered as Melanie. "All's you did was talk about _YOURSELF_ the entire trip! Maybe you and Melanie deserve each other."

"Well, I don't sit around sulking like some people around here do!" Logan bit back.

I got out of the car, grabbing my purse. I started unloading my lighter bags onto the sidewalk as Logan hauled the heavier stuff out.

Pink I guess saw us from the window and came out to help us. He and Logan carried in my heavier bags while I got the light stuff inside. That reminded me of Randy, who had always helped me with heavy stuff.

Pink then invited Logan in for lemonade since it was hot and they were both sweating, but Logan declined and left. I was panting and sweating too.

As I went upstairs, I wondered if Melanie and Randy were home yet. Maybe they'd ridden home together. I wouldn't put it past either one of them.

I wanted to flop down and maybe read the latest issue of _Ingenue_ but Mom told me to unpack first and put everything away. I sighed and hauled one of my suitcases on the bed to begin unpacking. Back home with Mom and Pink telling me what to do already. Gross.

* * *

**Melanie:**

This really stinks. I woke up and realized that yes, I was back home in my old bedroom. How depressing. Well, at least it'll be until just next winter. But it still stank being back home with my parents, who aren't too thrilled.

Boy, did my Mom give me this big lecture, then she became silent and gave me these long disappointed stares all throughout dinner last night.

"Heeey, Melanie!" called my fourteen-year-old brother. "It's breaaakfasttiiiiime!" he sang in this absurdly happy voice.

"I'm eating later," I told him. Jeff barged into my room without knocking. "Knock." I told him.

"Mom and Dad want all of us to have breakfast together," Jeff announced, shoving a spike of his ash-blond hair out of his face.

"Ohhh, bliss, they want to play at being the happy little family," I groaned, rolling out of bed.

The fiftieth depressing thing...having Jeff pestering me again. Only this time as a teenaged pimply squawker. Not even squawking now because his voice is going through that change and sometimes croaks. More like a frog pest, I thought as Jeff bounded downstairs and I got dressed and brushed my hair.

Then I headed down. In the hallway, I was surprised to see a lot of old boxes with some of my old things inside, including my old desk lamp.

"What's with all the boxes in the hall?" I asked as we were eating.

"We figured you'll need them now that you're back here," Dad helped himself to more scrambled eggs.

"But I'll be only here for about what, like seven months, then I'll be back in college," I sipped my juice.

"I think you'll be here longer than that," Dad stated.

"What...why?" I looked back and forth between them, sensing that they'd made some major decision about my life without asking me. Were they going to not let me go back to college at all! I hoped they wouldn't tell me I was grounded until I was forty, puh-lease!

"Your mother and I decided that starting in January, you'll be going to Stamford University instead of returning to Connecticut U," Dad said firmly in a voice that told me that this discussion was closed before it even got off the ground.

"So, you're grounding me here indefinitely!" I almost screamed, dropping my fork with a noisy clatter. "I'm an adult; I'm almost _TWENTY_, for crying out loud!"

"You'll live here until you can conduct yourself like an adult," Mom told me evenly.

"Right, until I'm forty!" I snapped.

"Right now, you haven't been behaving like an adult," Mom's voice rose a little.

"Oh, spare me, Mom," I groaned, rolling my eyes. "I know your adulthood and responsibility lecture by heart."

"Don't talk to your mother that way!" Dad warned sharply. Mom gave Dad a meaningful look, then let out her breath and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Melanie," she stated. "Remember where that lecture started. You were a senior in high school and it was a few months before you graduated and I came in to talk to you about making career plans?"

I nodded, remembering that day very well. I'd had a pitsy day; I'd gotten into a fight with Jana and flunked an economics test.

"You said you were going to be a nurse, as I recall," Mom continued. "Have you taken any steps in that direction at all? Have you even given it any thought since you started college?"

"I've taken..." I searched for the words to placate Mom. "...some steps in that direction. I took a science course last semester." It had been required and had been sooo boring that I'd nearly fallen asleep several times right in class.

"I think you need to be more than just 'taking a few steps,' young lady," Mom countered. "I suspect you haven't given it much thought at all or you'd be mentioning it more. Instead, whenever you've come home on breaks and for the summer, all's I've heard from you is parties, Logan, and ball games."

"All right, all right, I'll go," I quickly told them just to shut them up. "Not because I have any choice," I muttered under my breath as I excused myself and left the table. I just couldn't believe my parents. I absolutely could not believe they were for real.

* * *

_A few e-mailed conversations_:

(**Matt**) **Zeboski26 aol** to (**Sara**) **Coolgirl yahoo** and (**Parker**)**Dnoman yahoo:** _Guys_..._you'll be happy to know_..._just before we went home, I remembered that just before the dean booted us out and suspended you, Parker, I saw Keith heading out of Mr_. _Conway's office practically running_. _I noticed that he was actually SHAKING! Man, imagine that! Keith, the egomaniac scared for a change_. _I'm so glad that rotten bastard got kicked out_. 

But it stinks that we got the shaft too. _My parents, as you can imagine, aren't overjoyed. They lectured me for an hour yesterday when I got home, then Dad told me that first thing Monday morning, he was taking me to the employment agency to look for full-time work_. _This sucks big time_. _I better go to sleep before I get any more bummed out over my ruined life_.

(**Melanie**)**Cheerlder67 aol** to (**Randy**)**Quarterback aol** and **Coolgirl yahoo:** _Randy, Sara, if this makes you feel any better, I'm not going back to Connecticut U_. _after my suspension's up_. _My parents (God, I can't believe them) are making me live here at home and commute to Stamford U_. 

Sooo, it looks like we're all stuck here in Bridgeport for God knows how long until our parents unground us, which could be until we're fifty. _I was in bed last night and got up to get some water and overheard my parents talking in the kitchen_. _My mom sounded all quivery and kept saying how "dismayed" she was at my "lack of mature judgment_._" I peered down into the kitchen and saw that my mom was actually CRYING over this whole stupid mess! And she wasn't just sniffling with a little tear here and there; she was actually sobbing, her face streaked with tears and Dad was fawning over her and pouring her a cup of tea like she was sick or something_. _Can you imagine! _

Mom's been acting like somebody died around here or something since I came home. _And Dad keeps touching her shoulder and comforting her like she's in mourning or something_. I'M _the one who got busted, not her! You'd think they'd both be giving ME a little support! But nooo, I guess they think I'm some irresponsible little kid who "dismayed" them with my alleged "immaturity_._" _

This is nauseating, disgusting, etc, etc nauseatum. _To sum it all up, my life really STINKS! Good night_.

**Coolgirl yahoo** to (**Randy**) **Quarterback aol** and (**Melanie**) **Cheerlder67 aol:** _Hey, Mel, hey, Randy_..._my life's a mess too_. _Mom yelled at me about how I'd wasted my 'rents tuition and all that crap_. _My dad just gave me this long disappointed stare_. _They say I have to look for full-time work_. _It's so depressing_. 

Here our group was so cool and we had such high hopes before the weasels got all jealous and ratted us out. _They're nothing but losers_. 

Speaking of losers..._Logan, who only got suspended, was sniveling over this a few days before they sent us back home_. _Mel, sorry to tell you this, but I ran into Jana and Logan that day. I was with Matt and Parker and of course when they confronted Logan, Logan tried to worm his way out of it. And Jana_..._that girl makes me so sick; she told me to shut up when I said my piece_. _Boy, I felt like slapping her stupid face! But she's not worth my time_. 

Sooo, Mel, she hasn't called you, has she? I suspect not. _Sorry, Mel_. _Well, onto the bed, then the great job hunt in the world out there tomorrow_.

**Quarterback aol** to **Coolgirl yahoo** and **Cheerlder67 aol:** _What a rat_. _Logan, I mean. I never could stand that guy_. _So it figures that he's hanging around my girlfriend_. _Or ex-girlfriend? Oh, I don't know_. _All's I know is that my dad's so pee-od about this mess that he'd been rambling on and on about responsibility and how it's time I started acting like an adult_. 

Mel, my mom's been acting almost as weird as yours. _I haven't seen her actually break down bawling, thank God, but she's been quiet and acting like she's at a funeral too_.

_Hey, maybe your mom and mine could get together, dress in black and have a funeral party for our "lost souls" or something_. _I bet your mom would jump at that and bawl her head off_. _Better yet, Mel and Sara, maybe all of our parents could get together, hold a candlelight vigil and mourn the "disappointment" their kids are, starts some anonymous psych group, and swap stories of how they grounded us for the next seventy years_.

_God, this is depressing. I gotta look for work too; my dad's been shoving the employment section of the_ Bridgeport Post_ in my face every morning since I came home. Where the hell am I supposed to work anywhere decent without that degree I'd hoped to get from Conn. U? I doubt the NFL would post in there, lol. I better log out before I get any more depressed. Good night._


	7. Long, Hot Day In Bridgeport

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13 _

**7: Long, Hot Day In Bridgeport **

**Jana:**

"It's a hundred and twenty three," I told the woman who was buying a wad of blouses from Tanninger's. I took her cash and gave her the change, then when she was gone, I leaned on the countertop.

Yep, I've been working at Tanninger's for about a month, since mid-July. Good thing Tanninger's is air-conditioned, because the heat is stifling out there.

It's going to feel weird not going back to school in the fall. Mom and Pink have cooled down quite a bit, especially since I got this job. At first, Pink have given me these long lectures about how he didn't blow cash on my tuition to have me be irresponsible and all that crud while Mom kind of drooped and acted all disappointed.

But now they're mostly off my back. And it's good to be earning cash and on top of that, employees here get a twenty percent discount on everything. That's fabulous, since I've always loved the clothes here. So far, I've bought seven blouses, three pairs of pants and several skirts as well as an array of makeup. Looks like I'll have a great wardrobe soon.

So, my life isn't as depressing as it was in June. But I still missed Randy. Despite the fight that we'd had, I really wished I had him to confide in.

To my surprise, I also missed Logan as well. True, Logan was a self-centered moron sometimes, but he had a swell sense of humor that I missed. It felt weird and empty not having someone special in my life.

Being back home brought back so many memories. Back in high school and even middle school, us kids used to do a lot of hanging out here Randy and I used to go to the movies every weekend.

We'd dated since sixth grade. Would Randy and I ever do that again? I thought with a pang. It was this store that back in sixth grade, I'd entered a fashion show with several other girls. I'd been friends with this group of girls, four others. Melanie used to be one of them.

It was one of those cheesy middle-school things that we used to call ourselves the Fabulous Five. We acted like this club and had typical middle-school kids things like sleepovers and things like that.

We'd even ganged up on this snobby girl in our class, Taffy Sinclair, who'd been a beautiful blonde and thought she was really all that. I smiled ruefully as I remembered how much Taffy and I had hated each other. Taffy was even a worse priss than Sara Sawyer and used to go around tossing her hair and flirting with the guys all the time.

In seventh grade, because of her mother's pushiness, she flew off to Hollywood to become an actress. I wondered if she was still having a blast in Hollywood. I'd seen her in a couple of magazines too.

Well, Taffy, I've done modeling too, I silently told her. True. I'd posed for a calendar at Connecticut U. last fall.

Speaking of prissy and blond...I spotted Sara Sawyer by a table at the restaurant across from Tanninger's, Smorgasbord. I groaned mentally. Just what I need.

I noticed that she was wearing an apron and scooping dishes into a plastic tub, which she then loaded onto a big metal bin. Oh, she was working there. Double groan. Exactly what I need. I hoped that we didn't work the same hours; I didn't want to run into her in the mall. Fortunately, that wasn't likely because my hours are in rotating shifts; they change week to week...

"Excuse me..." a voice cut into my thoughts and I turned to see two teenaged dweeby-looking girls holding up three jeans and a few blouses. Something from the tone told me that they'd been standing there for a few minutes as if they were hoping I'd read their minds. "Could you...tell us where the fitting rooms are?"

"Yeah...right back..." I pointed to where they were behind the plus sizes.

"There...?" the other girl muttered, adjusting her glasses. No, on top of the Empire State Building in New York City, I felt like snapping at them.

"That's right." I let out a sigh. They edged in that direction, giving me these uncertain glances.

A lot of these customers are real imbeciles, I thought as I pointed. They finally saw it and I guess they believed me because they headed there, tripping over each other and vanished behind the racks. I wondered if they went to Burkeview High.

I hoped that when I used to come here in my early high school years when I still hung around that little group, the Fabulous Five, we didn't look and act so geeky. It's bizarre, because our group used to have someone who was really a feminist, a bookworm and a girl who used to spike her dark hair and act dramatic and make an idiot of herself.

In fact, I used to be best friends with the spiky-haired girl, Liza Barry. But in tenth grade, our group drifted apart and Melanie and I hung out with the cooler kids.

Liza wanted things to stay the same as they were and complained about some of the kids in our group. Liza and I had a huge fight in April of tenth grade and went our separate ways after that.

I heard that Liza's now at some midwestern liberal arts college on a full scholarship with room and board paid. Well, lucky for her; her 'rents aren't footing her bill.

By eleventh grade, Melanie was dating Logan and we were with our cool group. Something plopped on the counter. I absently pushed it off. Something then plopped again, this time, nearly on my arm and I heaved a sigh and shoved it off.

"Ah!" someone squawked indignantly and I turned to see that the two girls were back and glaring at me.

"Lady, we're buying this," the one with the glasses sniped as she picked up two jeans from the floor.

"Oh..." I tried to paste on a smile as I rang up the sales quickly. I started to pull the jeans off the hanger.

"Leave them on," the first girl told me shortly.

"What?" I looked at her bangs almost covering her eyes. Doesn't she know that those kind of bangs are out? I thought.

"The. Jeans...leave them on the hanger," the girl told me slowly as if she thought I was the stupidest amoeba alive.

"Sure..." I gritted my teeth to stifle the urge to make some sarcastic comeback and put the jeans back on the hanger, gave over their change and sighed in relief to see them go. Not even a thank you, I thought indignantly. Then again most of the customers who come here don't thank the salespeople.

* * *

It was later that night after my shift ended that I ran into disaster. Thank God the disaster wasn't Sara, but it was close. I was headed across the parking lot to where Pink would pick me up in a few minutes and I guess I wasn't really looking where I was going and collided with someone.

"Whoops...sorry," I muttered.

"Oh, hey, are you all right?" The voice was very familiar. Oh...Randy! With none other than...Melanie!

"Yeah, I'm all right," I snapped. "What are _YOU_ doing here?"

"I just got off work," Randy told me evenly. "I work at Sports USA down the street from the mall. What are _YOU_ doing here out alone in the dark?"

"I work too. Tanninger's. So, Mel, moving in on my boyfriend, aren't you? Giving him your sob story on how miserable your life is?"

"Ex-boyfriend," Melanie glared at me. "And you're not lily-white either, kissing up to Logan Bruno, who was _MY_ boyfriend!"

"Only because you acted like a selfish brat that you are!" I sniped back.

"Jana, you aren't Ms. Sensitive either," Randy put his two cents in. "I tried to warn you that we were toast, but you just dissed what I had to say."

"Ohhh, great!" I snorted in disgust. "Gang up on me!"

"Hey, I'm not ganging up on you," Randy told me. "Maybe you and Logan would be happier together, all right!"

"Not all right!" I snapped. It burned me up to see Melanie clinging onto the boy I'd dated since middle school. Well, Melanie could rarely hang onto a guy long anyway; Logan was the longest time she'd ever dated any one guy.

And on top of bouncing from boyfriend to boyfriend, she used to string along three or four guys at the same time, making each one thing she liked them best. God, she disgusts me!

"Logan and I had a fight and I found out he's almost as self-centered as you, Melanie," I informed them coldly.

"Oh..." Randy paused and he seemed to go kind of limp. "That's too bad..." he didn't seem to know what else to say. Just then, a horn blasted and I saw Pink's car there.

"So, I hope you're happy, Melanie Edwards, I know you'd love that." With that, I stalked off toward Pink's car.

* * *

**Melanie:**

Randy looked like he was going to call after Jana, but I held his arm. "Never mind, Randy," I told him as Jana got into her stepdad's car and he drove off toward her home.

"I just...she doesn't have anyone now," Randy said softly.

She doesn't deserve anyone, I thought bitterly. That girl acts like Randy's her personal property. I guess it's natural when you're acting like a miniature married couple with the same guy since sixth grade.

I seethed with resentment at her crack about me "stringing along" guys and "moving in" on "her" Randy. Well, ex-_CUSE_ me! Sure when Randy needs her, she wants nothing to do with him, but when she's the one needing him, she sticks to him like super glue. Fantastic.

Randy and I were mostly quiet as we walked home. I could hear crickets and locusts trilling in the hot night and wondered what was on Randy's mind.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" I asked, trying to spark a conversation.

"It's hot," was all Randy had to say.

"Yeah, it is," I giggled. "But isn't that part of what makes summer great? On romantic tropical islands, they have this weather year-round."

"If you like frying up and being sticky," Randy muttered.

Was he mooning over Jana? My gosh, I really wish he'd get over her. Jana's really not all that and there are other girls out there who'd give their eyeteeth to be his girlfriend. I got the feeling that yes, Jana was still on his mind. That thought filled me with resentment.

"Are you still stewing over Jana?" I blurted out. "What did you ever see in that girl anyway?"

"A lot," Randy said shortly, facing me. By then we were in front of my house. "Why else would I have gone steady with her for over eight years?"

"Yeah, why?" I challenged. "You're not going steady with her anymore. You're forgetting that you're here with _ME_ tonight, not _HER_."

"Yeah, I know, don't remind me." Randy gave a cynical laugh.

"Don't remind you of what!" I demanded. "Of me!"

"Not that," Randy told me. "Just...that it feels weird being apart from Jana." I could see it; Randy _STILL_ had it bad for Jana. He's almost as bad as she is in acting like a Siamese couple and acting addicted to her or something.

"Yeah, well, you know what?" I bit back. "Go on home and sulk over how much you miss your Siamese other half, because I'm not hanging around with some guy who still misses his ex-girlfriend! Or is it your pseudo-wife!" I whirled around and booked up the sidewalk.

"Okay...fine!" Randy shot back. "And you can find ten more guys to string along!"

I stalked into my house and slammed the door.

"Heeey, Mel, get into a fight with your latest lover?" Jeff jeered from the refrigerator.

"Stuff it, Jeff," I barked and ran upstairs to my room. Fine, Randy can go back to Jana, now that Jana's not hanging onto Logan anymore. Maybe they'll get married anyway and be the ultimate Siamese couple and their minister will just skip the vows and ceremony and say that they're already husband and wife. Fabulous.


	8. Time To Grow Up

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13 _

**8: Time To Grow Up **

**Melanie:**

It felt weird not to be rushing off to school. I missed Connecticut U., not really sitting in class, but the whole social scene...the great parties, being away from home and having no rules, and most of all, the great times Logan and I had together. I wished I had the courage to call him, but I wasn't sure how he'd react. God, I can't believe Jana Morgan snuck around with him throughout this whole mess.

Bored nearly out of my mind one afternoon in mid-September, I flipped on the tube and watched the afternoon soaps. On _Interns and Lovers_, Chad and Cynthia are about to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary with a huge party, but a fight ruins their party. It was fun watching scandals on soap operas, but now my whole life felt like a huge soap opera and I wasn't enjoying it.

Just then, Mom and Jeff came home and headed into the kitchen with huge bags of groceries. They fiddled around in the kitchen while I tried to tune out their babbling.

Mom's not acting as miserable these days and now she was talking up a storm with my brother. Well, good. At least she's now off my back about me getting a job. I'm going back to college in January, even though I was stuck here at home, so what was the point?

"Melanie..." Mom called. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"What?"

"Can you help me with the salad?"

"Sure, in a minute," I called back. I guessed Mom was making dinner now. I hoped she'd make something good like lasagna, but so far I hadn't smelled that.

I heard a plop in the microwave and suspected that Mom was taking a shortcut and making those rice mix microwave dinners. I groaned and rolled my eyes.

She's been doing that a lot lately. Great. Maybe one of these days she'll just head off to the salad bar at Food Mart or Giant and pick up a ready-made and cooked little salad and chicken meal.

"Melanie...I could use some help here," Mom called.

"Coming..." I muttered.

I tentatively got up when I saw Jeff putting plates on the table. Mom fooled around with the glasses and I edged toward the kitchen. I did that every time Mom headed toward the living room, so she wouldn't nag me anymore. She's getting to be a real pain lately, even though now she isn't moping around about my alleged "immaturity."

I guess Mom got my message, because she pulled lettuce, radishes, carrots, and tomatoes out of the fridge, thunked them on the counter, and put together a salad herself with a gusty sigh. I stifled a grin and settled back into the living room.

By the time Mom called us to dinner, the last soap of the day was over and Dad had come home. I fought back a groan as we sat. Frozen dinners again!

It's not like Mom had some twelve-hour a day job; all she does is run that teen taxi for the middle school. This rice and chicken mix...ick, it's for the birds. I diddled around with it with my fork while Jeff, Mom and Dad practically inhaled the food.

"What a wonderful dinner, Mom," I rolled my eyes, taking a few bites of the tasteless rice and washing it down with water.

"Thank you..." Mom started to smile at me, then I guess saw my expression because her smile faded.

"Where do you dig up these bland recipes for these pre-packaged gourmet cuisines?" I said sarcastically. Mom actually winced, then she looked down a minute. Then her face flushed and she looked up at me.

"You know, Melanie, she said sharply. "Instead of sitting around watching those ridiculous soap operas, you could've been in the kitchen helping me with the salad, so maybe you wouldn't have an excuse to complain about that!" Uhhhh-ohhh, I'd made Mom mad, I realized.

"Hey, sorry," I tried to placate her.

"I work my butt off for a lot of things, then come home and really don't feel like cooking," Mom ranted on as she stood up.

"Kathy..." Dad started, then glanced at me, then at her.

"No, I want my daughter to understand that I spend half the day driving the van, that most of that money was going for her college tuition, but she doesn't appreciate it. She's twenty years old, but hasn't lifted a finger to help me around the house or contribute to the expenses of this household! Instead, she criticizes my cooking and I'm getting tired of it!"

"I didn't ask you to start that stupid teen taxi business back then..." I started.

"Melanie!" my dad said sternly.

"That's what she thinks of my work...stupid," Mom went on as she picked up her plate and dumped the rest of her meal down the drain and ground it down the disposal.

"Larry, I don't know how I failed with my daughter..." Mom stood at the sink, her breath coming fast. "You remember, Larry, how I started that business so we could have more financial security and we could have a college fund for the kids...but Melanie, you complained about how it was an embarrassment to you socially and now you're complaining about dinner. Well, fine, maybe tomorrow you can put something together for yourself!" With that, Mom stalked upstairs.

"Wow, didn't you blow it," Jeff whistled. "Mom's probably upstairs now bawling her eyes shut."

"Stay out of this, Jeff!" I snapped at him, then threw the rest of my food away and headed upstairs.

Okay, maybe I shouldn't have made that comment about dinner; it was probably a dumb thing to say, but that was no reason for Mom to get bent out of shape into a pretzel!

I'd thought she was getting over this mess, but maybe she isn't completely over this. You'd think she was the one whose life was ruined! Well, don't worry, Mom, I'll be moving out of here after college at Stamford U., so I won't be around much longer to complain and make you miserable.

* * *

A knock on my door woke me up the next morning. I heaved a gusty sigh when I saw the time...eight-thirty. The knock sounded again. "Coming..." I groaned and heaved myself out of bed and opened the door. It was Mom. Ohhh.

"Time to grow up," she stated, handing a newspaper.

"What's this?" I demanded. The classified ads, I realized.

"It's time to look for a job," Mom announced.

"But I'll be back in school..."

"Yes, I know that, but meanwhile, you're going to work and earn your keep around here," Mom told me. "So get going and I expect you to have called at least five of these places today."

With that, she left my room and headed downstairs. Oh, God. Mom really was... I realized that unless I at least called around, Mom was going to be on my back again, interrogating me about my job hunt and beefing endlessly about how hard she worked and how I just lazed around doing nothing, yada, yada.

I slowly got dressed with a sigh and got ready to face an icky day of job-hunting. And probably once I got a job, I was in for a grand time of hauling myself out of bed every morning to go follow some boss's orders and miss my favorite soaps and worst of all, not have much time for any kind of social life. Thrilling.

* * *

**Jana:**

"Heyyy..." someone called into Tanninger's. I looked up.

"Parker!" I gasped in surprise. "Hi."

"Hi, there," Parker wandered in. I wasn't very busy on this Monday afternoon in early October. The weather was still warm, but the leaves were starting to change outside. "When d'you start working here?"

"In July," I told him as I hung up a few leggings that had fallen to the floor. "Sooo, what have you been doing these days?" I always thought Parker was still a bit immature, especially after he and Matt carried on about Logan's part in this Homecoming fiasco.

"I work at Lexington Tires," Parker leaned on the counter and grinned at me with that mischievous smile he always had. "Good thing too, because my parents were on my case big time to start working for a living, even though I'm only suspended. Hey, still hanging around that Bruno loser?"

"Actually not," I told him about the fight Logan and I had had in the car on the way home. "...that's when I found out how sooo self-centered he is. He's more of a match for Melanie Edwards, his other half of a selfish brat." Parker laughed, but I sensed he understood.

"Well, Bruno's not worth a rat's butt and both of them are always out for themselves."

"Yeah...but to make matters worse, Melanie is hanging around Randy." I lifted a lip in disgust. "I never thought Randy would fall for an airhead like Melanie, but apparently he has. I was coming home from here one night in August and ran into them in the parking lot draped all over each other. It was soooo disgusting!"

"Ooooh, that must have not felt too good, even though Kirwan's not worth losing sleep over either," Parker actually sounded sympathetic as he leaned further on the counter and studied me more intensely.

I remembered that once in seventh grade, Randy and I had broken up briefly and I suggested that we date other people. I'd gone out with Parker then and back then Parker had been part of this rock band at Wakeman Middle School.

He'd embarrassed me to death with antics right in this fast-food eatery called Bumpers. A lot of Wakeman kids used to hang out there and had looked at Parker and laughed, thinking he was so funny.

Fortunately, even though he's still a little bit immature, he seems to have come a way since back then, when he'd _REALLY_ been immature. He isn't into the rock band business anymore. "Sooo, are you seeing anyone or are you...unattached?" Parker asked.

"I guess...no one," I stared at him, wondering if he was still interested in me after all these years.

Parker really isn't my idea of a boyfriend for me, but I really missed going out with guys and being part of a couple. It was getting depressing either working or sitting at home on weekend nights staring at the TV. So, I figured Parker would do for now...

"Psssst..." someone interrupted. I looked over and sighed, annoyed at the interruption. Customer. "Can you just take a second from your hot romance and tell me where the jewelry is?" she sniped sarcastically.

"Sure, down the aisle on the right," I snapped.

The woman glared at me a minute and I hoped she wouldn't have another stupid smart-alecky remark, but I guess she thought the better of it and turned on her heel and headed down there.

Luckily the manager wasn't around. I was getting sick of dealing with customers like that and the manager whenever she was around, could be nosy and picky. Parker hid a grin and I sighed again.

"Customers..." I muttered.

"Yeah, I know about that," Parker said sympathetically. "I've had to deal with a few stupid idiots myself in the tire industry."

* * *

Parker hung around and we socialized some while I straightened up some of the fitting rooms. Thank God, there were hardly any customers to interrupt us.

After the store closed up for the night, Parker offered me a ride home and that's when he asked if I was free Friday night. I was off on Friday, so I accepted.

So, for the first time since I'd come back home, I had a date. Maybe I'd have a good time with Parker, especially if he remembers I don't like root beer.

* * *

It was almost like old times back in middle and high school standing in line at the movie theater. The thought made me feel pleasantly nostalgic at first, then a little depressed.

Here our group or what used to be our group is stuck at home in Bridgeport while everyone else is in college and all over the world starting careers, living where they feel like and just being independent of the 'rents.

I looked around for anyone else I knew, but not surprisingly, I didn't see anyone. I thought I spotted Tammy Lucero with a guy I didn't know down the line. I pulled closer to Parker, so she wouldn't see me. Gross. It was more depressing seeing her. I'd heard that she'd been suspended too.

I was glad when Parker bought the tickets and we went into theater number four. After the movie, we decided to head to Chia's, which has some of the greatest Mexican food in Bridgeport. It's just across the street form the theater and fortunately Parker remembered that I preferred Coke, not root beer.

This time, he seemed quieter, more settled and we were able to have a more mature conversation than before. He talked about the latest sports controversy, some football coach getting into a fight with some members of the team, I think the Los Angeles Rams. It felt so good being out on a date again and having someone to talk to.

"Heeeeey, Parker! Hey, Jana!" Matt Zeboski, Gene Actbin, and Derek Travelstead wandered up.

"Hi..." Parker and I greeted them and Parker pulled up some chairs so the three of them could sit with us.

I've always liked Matt; he's got a great sense of humor. Gene's all right; he was one of the guys Melanie used to string along for a while back in high school before she started dating Logan. Derek is fun to hang out with too. I just hoped neither Melanie or Logan had come to the movies tonight, so they wouldn't be around here tonight.

The five of us talked for the next couple of hours. Being back here was depressing, but having these guys around made it bearable. Guys are so easy to be with, I thought as we talked about whether the our NFL team would make the playoffs this year and which team was likely to make the super bowl.

Several times, Matt and I exchanged looks of understanding when the others went off into a conversation on what they planned to do when they returned to Connecticut U. in January. I knew Matt was bummed out as I was since he too had been expelled. Matt told us that he was now working at Lechter's in Washington Mall.

"The housewarming party store!" Gene, Parker, and Derek whooped and Matt gave them each a playful punch on the arm. We all laughed and the two remaining customers turned to look at us.

"I think the waitresses are beginning to give us LOOKS, so we should scram out of here," Gene announced, standing up.

"Me too," Matt stood also and Derek followed suit. They put on their jackets, waved goodbye and left before Parker and me. Parker and I took our time leaving, then headed out to his car. The night was a bit chilly, so on the way home, Parker turned on the heater.

* * *

**Randy:**

I'd just gotten off work on a cool Saturday night in mid-October. As I headed to my car when I heard laughter in the parking lot.

Boy, was I surprised to see Jana Morgan clinging on to Parker Donovan! And she was laughing as if he'd just told her the funniest joke in the world. So, Parker didn't hesitate to move in on _MY_ girlfriend!

At that minute, they saw me because Jana sort of gasped and Parker's eyes widened. I must have been glaring at them because Parker glared back while Jana sort of shrank into him.

"Hello," I said in a chilly voice. "Sorry to interrupt your little liaison, but I'll be out of here in one minute."

"Hey, Randy..." Jana stepped forward hesitantly. "Don't go away like this..."

"Like what?"

"Well, think about last summer when I ran into you and Melanie," Jana's chin came up. "Don't tell me Melanie's dumped you for yet another fling." I winced a little.

"Actually not," I stated. "I dumped her."

"Oh, that's good. I mean, she wasn't right for you anyway, so it's good you're not with her anymore."

"Hey, Randy, she's not your girlfriend anymore, so butt out!" Parker barked, balling his fists.

"Well, she's not _YOURS_ either!" I snarled back.

"Hey, you guys, cut it out!" Jana stepped between us. "Let's just...go home." Looking at Jana, I realized one of the main reasons we'd been together so long.

"Randy, I don't want us to end up hating each other. Parker and I had a few dates, that's all. Nothing serious."

"Nothing serious..." Parker muttered. "Well, Jesus H. Roosevelt Rehoboth, was I just...?" he hesitated a few minutes, then I guess he got the picture at the same time I did. "...so I was just a way to fill the time," he finished in a quiet voice. Yep, you were, Donovan, I thought smugly.

"No, you weren't..." Jana tried to explain. "I like you, but..." she looked between us, then at me the longest.

"I was just a poor second to your ever-devoted Randy," Parker finished in a low, hurt voice, then quickly turned and headed toward his car.

"Parker, wait..." Jana called, but it was too late.

Parker had started his car and peeled out of the parking lot. I stifled a grin, glad to be rid of Parker. Parker's always been an immature moron and I never understood what Jana ever saw in him. But I figured Jana needed a guy in her life to fill in...

"Oh, God, Randy, why did you have to go into a jealous fit?" Jana wailed, leaning on my car.

"Because I guess I still care for you," I said softly. "The same reason it upset you to see me with Melanie."

"So, Melanie was a fill-in too?" Jana looked at me closely, running her hand through her medium-brown wavy hair.

"I don't know," I told her. "But I guess seeing you with Parker made me realize that I guess I was hoping Melanie would 'replace' you. But she can't and..."

"Neither can Parker," Jana told me. "I guess that's what draws us back to each other again...we have a lot in common."

"Including getting jealous," I laughed a little. Jana joined in and that broke the tension. It felt good laughing with her again. I realized that I'd missed her so much in all these months apart. I never wanted us to ever drift apart like that again.

"I missed you," Jana said softly.

Before we knew it, we kissed right there in the October evening. Getting back together with her made being stuck at home in Bridgeport more tolerable. It we could just be sure to be together always...hey, why not? We'd both be twenty-one by June.

"Will you marry me?" I asked softly.

"What?" she whispered as we stroked each others' hair.

"Will you marry me in June?" I asked again.

"Sure..." Jana's face widened into a smile. "Yes! Oh, that would definitely mark us as adults!"

"It sure will," I grinned. "We'll be miles ahead of those other losers, especially Bruno and Melanie! C'mon, I'll give you a ride home."

We got into my car and I took Jana home. Oh, it would be great having Jana was my wife. Wow. I was going to have to get a ring to make it official, announce it to our parents, then start planning the wedding.

I knew Jana wanted a traditional wedding; I remembered her telling me about her ideal dream wedding several times, starting when her mom married her stepdad back when we were in seventh grade. So, I'd make her dream come true.

I'd eventually get a better job than the one I had and soon we'd get our first house. Then we'll _REALLY_ be adults and no one would be able to tell us what to do and treat us like irresponsible kids anymore.

* * *

**Coolboy aol** (**Logan**) to **Cheerlder67 aol **(**Melanie**) _Guess who's engaged_..._none other than Jana Morgan and Randy Kirwan_...

**Logan:**

Ooops, I didn't just send an e-mail to Melanie...oh, I did...

**Cheerlder67 aol** to **Coolboy aol:** _Hey, Logan! Hello, stranger_. _So, Randy and Jana are getting married, huh_. _Where'd you hear this from? Don't tell me they bragged to the whole world and Jana had a ring the size of the Statue of Liberty's nose to show it off_.

**Coolboy** to **Cheerlder67:** _Close to it_. _It's in the_ Bridgeport Post.

**Cheerlder67** to **Coolboy:** _Uhhh-huhhh_. _Puh-LEEEZE_. _Those two always did give themselves airs_. _They're so pompous and phony, both of them_. _Logan_..._did you really mean to e-mail or was that just a wrong button?_

**Coolboy** to **Cheerlder67:** _I almost did, but now_..._oh, I don't know, but I'm glad I did e-mail you because I missed you_. _Jana was fun for a while, but she is stuck-up and phony_. _Well, I guess Randy has her back and they're the Siamese couple again_. _And they're having a_...t_a-da, big surprise, June wedding naturally with a white gown, all the flowers, the church and minister_..._the whole nine yards_. _I bet her stepdad paid for the announcement so they could put all the details in there_.

**Cheerlder67** to **Coolboy:** _Snicka_. _It figures_. _Hey, Logan, I missed you too, but just didn't have the courage to call and tell you_. _I work at Hecht's now_. _Been there for three weeks_. _Back sometime in September, I made some dumb comment about Mom's lousy cooking and she blew up at me about how allegedly irresponsible I am_. _And another stupid thing, maybe you've heard_..._my 'rents are making me live at home and commute to Stamford U_. _in January_.

**Coolboy:** _You're not kidding_..._oh, what a bummer! Well, my 'rents have cooled down a bit since I started working at the movie theater in the mall_. _It's not a great job, but I suppose once I go back and finish college, I'll be able to get something better_. _Oh, I'm so glad we were only suspended and not expelled_.

**Cheerlder67:** _Yeah_. _Randy and Jana may think they're ahead of us, probably figuring that getting married will make them adults, but hey, how'll they support themselves without college, right? I heard Jana's working at a crappy sales job at Tanninger's and Randy's some clerk at a Sports USA_.

**Coolboy:** _Oh, they'll probably mooch off their parents until they're fifty or something just like some couples in those old movies used to do_..._live with their parents, who drive them up a tree and then when they have kids, the parents will be telling them how to raise the kids_. _Unlike us, who'll be more mature and wait until we get through college, then get away from the 'rents' control_.

**Cheerlder67:** _So, this means we're re-united? _

**Coolboy:** _Yeah_. _I missed you so much_. _I'm so sorry I blamed you for this whole mess_.

**Cheerlder67:** _Me too_. _I'm sorry, I guess I did act like a selfish twit about this whole wreck_. _I love you, Logan_. _We'll get through this_.

**Coolboy:** _With us together again, it'll be more bearable_. _So want to go out Friday night?_

**Cheerlder67:** _Yeah, I'd love to_.


	9. Re-union Dance At Burkeview...

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13 _

**9: Reunion Dance At Burkeview **

**Tammy:**

Justin Belman came by to pick me up that Friday after Thanksgiving to head to the re-union dance at Burkeview High. "Hear that Jana and Randy are engaged?" I asked as we drove toward Burkeview.

"Yeah..."

"I always knew that they'd be the first in our class to wind up married. They've been joined at the hip since sixth grade," I told him. Justin laughed. We got there and spotted Matt Zeboski with some girl I didn't know. At first, because we were early, I didn't see many kids I knew, then eventually, I saw Lisa Snow, and Alexis Duvall with another girl I didn't know.

The music started and Justin and I did a few dances. I saw Melanie and Logan and waved. They waved back. Melanie was wearing a long ruffly pale pink gown and her hair was up in a tiny bun on top of her head with a few loose tendrils hanging down.

A few minutes later, I spotted the almost-married, Jana and Randy also. Jana's hair was pulled back in a loose bun in the back and I stifled a giggle when I saw that she was wearing what I thought was pink also, but once I got a closer look, I realized that her dress was a deep peach.

I'd heard that Jana and Melanie had a huge falling-out last summer and don't speak to each other now. I thought the night would be a little dull at first, but I noticed Logan looking over at Jana several times. I saw Keith over by the goodies table and he was looking over at Jana too! Oh...this was getting interesting.

Once when Randy and Jana stopped dancing to grab some punch and cookies, I saw Keith give Jana a flirty grin. I noticed Jana didn't take any cookies and whispered something to Randy, probably about being on some diet that she's usually on. Not that she ever needed to diet; she's model-skinny already. She'd even done some modeling for a calendar last year.

Randy then noticed Keith grinning at Jana and glared at Keith. Jana held out her hand, which had the ring and I heard Randy snarl something like, ..._so back off_... before Jana and Randy went out on the floor to dance again.

I noticed, however, that Jana and Logan's eyes met and they stared at each other for a long minute. Right, I'd heard that Logan and Jana had a brief fling over the summer. Jana occasionally gave Melanie a poison-dart stare. Going into her jealousy mode, I thought. As if she didn't already have Randy glued to her!

Randy must have seen Logan, because he glared at Logan. Uh-ohhh, I thought. Logan tried to look away quickly, but by then Melanie saw Jana and the two couples were glaring at each other. Once the song was over, Randy stood and kept glaring at Logan threateningly, his fists clenched.

"What's your problem?" Logan muttered.

"You, you sneaky, sleazy rat..." Randy hissed.

"Talk about sleazy rats, Kirwan," Matt Zeboski came up with Keith right behind him. "After ratting us all out last year!"

"Yeah, Zeboski, thanks for bashing down my door and putting that cute little note on my TV," Randy snapped. "And anyway, I wasn't the one who ratted you out, so butt out!"

"Yeah, maybe Conway magically got ESP after he questioned you and Bruno!" Matt snapped.

"I didn't tell him anything, but maybe I should have," Randy countered.

"Hey, Zeboski, Kirwan, quit blaming everyone else for your own mess that _YOU_ created!" Logan put in.

"And quit hitting on _MY_ fiancee," Randy growled at Logan.

"Hey, I tried to save your pathetic, useless, sorry butt in Conway's office..." Logan started, but Randy's fist shot out and smashed Logan in the jaw. Before anyone knew what was happening, Logan had smacked Randy back and Keith, Logan, Randy, and Matt were all punching, kicking, shoving, exchanging insults, yelling big time, and just going Springer on each other! Matt and Keith were swearing at the top of their lungs. Some of the other dancers screamed, others just stared, a few whooped things like, "C'mon, slug 'im!" "Bash his face in!"

"You were always a conceited..." Logan spat at Randy. Randy bashed him on the lip, splitting it. Logan winced, then clenched his fists again.

"Stop it, Logan!" Melanie screamed. She tried to pull her boyfriend away, but was pushed away. She skidded to a stop in front of Jana, who was staring in a kind of daze.

Melanie glared at Jana viciously. "Well, I hope you're happy, Jana Morgan! You've got _THREE_ guys fighting over you, including MY boyfriend!" Jana started to back away. Sirens sounded in the distance, getting closer.

"_YOU_ deal with them!" Melanie spat, grabbing Jana and shoving her over to the pile of fighting guys. Jana landed on top of Logan and they both fell over and landed with a thud onto the floor. The police burst in just then.

"ALLLL RIGHT, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!" One of the officers boomed. Logan pulled Jana to her feet. Randy slowly got up, giving Keith a good kick in the ribs, and gave Logan such an icy, nasty glare the Logan actually shrank back in fear. Melanie was crying and went over to Logan and clung to him.

"Well!"

By then, everyone in the auditorium was staring at them. Boy wait until I got home and e-mailed my friend Lacey about this...!

* * *

**Logan:**

Boy, was my dad getting ready to have another field day on me. And after everything was beginning to calm down from last spring's debacle! He saw the flashing lights on the police car and came out to talk to them.

Thank God we weren't arrested, but the officers took all of us...Keith, Matt, Melanie, Jana, Randy, and me home in their cars. My dad ordered me inside and stayed outside to talk to them.

"Logan...what happened?" Mom gasped once I got inside and came over with a washcloth and wiped my split lip.

"Just a stupid fight that Randy Kirwan started," I muttered. The door slammed and I winced. Sure enough, Dad came in, looking so mad that I had to suppress a shudder.

"Well, young man!" he said sternly. "Just how stupid are you! I have to deal with another irresponsible mess that you've gotten yourself into! When are you going to learn!"

"It wasn't my fault..." I tried to explain, cringing to hear my voice sounding so weak and thin.

"Seems like I've heard that before!" Dad yelled.

"Kirwan started hitting first..."

"At this point, I don't want to hear who started what!" Dad bellowed at the top of his lungs. "I don't want our family EVER, EVER to be embarrassed and shamed by you like that again! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!"

"Y-yes, sir," I told him, trying not to let my voice quaver, struggling to hang onto whatever shreds of dignity I had left.

"Get upstairs!" he barked. I went. Just then, my nosy brat of a brother, Hunter poked his head into my room.

"So what kind of trouble did you get into this time?" he asked.

"Mind your business!" I snapped. I slammed the door in his face and flopped on my bed. I'd been tempted to say a choice word there, but if Dad heard me or if Hunter ratted on me, I'd be toasted roast if I wasn't already, since my parents forbid cursing in my family.

**

* * *

**

Randy:

I can't believe the nerve of Bruno and Masterson, hitting on _MY_ fiancee! And Zeboski and Bruno for trying to pin the blame on me for this fight!

All of us were coldly silent on the way home. I was so glad that Keith, Melanie, and Logan were in another car. I hoped that Bruno's dad really kicked his butt; that would serve him right. Matt and I glared at each other in icy silence.

As the officers dropped Matt off, Matt growled, "Well, thanks for nothing...slimy asshole..." then stalked up to his house before I could get in a word.

Jana and I held hands and when she was dropped off, I whispered, "I'll call you later." Jana smiled and nodded and I watched her head up to her apartment. Luckily, neither her mom or stepdad could see the cop car from their window.

Good thing I had her; this world was filled with too many traitors who'd stab you in the back in a second. When Jana and I married in June, we'd never have to deal with jerks like Matt Zeboski or Keith Masterson again. And Logan and Melanie can have each other; they deserve each other.

* * *

E-mail from Tammy to her friend, Lacey:

_November 29, 2003 _

_Lacey!_

_What a night I had! Tonight I went to the re-union dance at my old high school and Logan Bruno, Randy Kirwan, Keith Masterson, and Matt Zeboski opened Springer on each other by getting into a_ HUGE _fistfight! _

_Then Jana Morgan and Melanie Edwards got into a big fight with each other! Melanie and Jana used to be friends back in high school and maybe at the beginning of college, but they're not anymore; now they can't stand each other. I actually think they starting drifting apart in maybe late spring of eleventh grade when they got into a fight over whose fault it was in a shoving incident in that baseball game at Stoneybrook High that May. _

_They didn't speak for that whole summer, then got back together that fall of senior year. They got into a couple of fights later in our senior year, including a huge one right before the prom. They'd sort of gotten back together that summer after we graduated from high school, but it was more like that they hung out together for social status; by then they really weren't close friends anymore._

_By then, Randy was Jana's best friend. I think I mentioned in an earlier ee about Melanie and Logan acting stupid and blaming each other and breaking up, then getting back together again. Meanwhile, Jana and Logan had a fling while Randy snuck around with Melanie for a while. _

_I heard that once the suspension's over, Melanie's 'rents are making her live at home and commute to Stamford U., which is next to Stoneybrook, which is adjacent to Bridgeport. I'm so glad I was only suspended and that my 'rents aren't doing anything like making me stay at home indefinitely! _

_Well, at the dance, Logan, who was dancing with Melanie, gave Jana a kind of flirty look and Randy noticed and boy did hell break loose! Randy bashed Logan's jaw so hard, I'm surprised Logan didn't fly out the window! And of course, Logan hit Randy back and the fight of the millennium was on! The other guys started yelling about how the other was to blame for ratting the others out, yada, yakayak and they got into the fight! Jana was standing there like a ditz while Melanie was screaming at Logan to stop. Then she grabbed Jana and shoved her right into the fight! _

_By then police had arrived and pulled everyone apart. It was an incredible mess out of a cheap cop movie or something! Logan's lip was split; Randy had a bruise on his cheek; Keith had a bloody nose. Melanie was crying and pleading for the cops not to arrest them. Logan was pulling Jana to her feet and Randy gave him such an icy glare that Logan shrank back._

_I guess they weren't busted because the cops didn't read them their rights or anything, but they were escorted out of the dance and driven home. Ohhh, boy, I wonder what their parents said when the cops brought them home? That's my excitement for the night! How was your Thanksgiving? How's your job at Bailey's going? Later! _

_Tammy _

Winding down...there's just one more chapter, an epilogue, then this story is complete! Hope you've enjoyed this; there'll be more stories on the former Fabulous Five coming soon here on


	10. Epilogue

This chapter marks the final installation of _Homecoming Scandal_. Hope you've enjoyed this story; there will be other stories coming soon on the former _Fabulous Five_ characters as well as the _Baby-Sitters' Club_ and other characters from other stories! Check my profile under **CNJ** often. Enjoy this epilogue!

**Homecoming Scandal **

_By_: CNJ

_PG-13 _

_Epilogue _

**Jana:**

"I'm ready..." I called to my parents, meaning my mom, dad, and my stepparents who were in the living room. My half-sister and half-brother were there too. I double-checked my hair, which was pulled back into a roll-like bun, pulled up the long white train of my wedding gown and walked slowly into the living room on the morning of Saturday, June 5, 2004.

"Oh...!" Mom gasped, her eyes growing huge and tearing up. Dad came over and kissed my cheek. So did my stepdad, Pink.

"You look wonderful, dear," Dad said.

"Thank you."

"Come on, kids, let's get going," Erma, my stepmom, announced as she rounded up her two kids, seven-year-old Leola and three-year-old Ty.

They both looked up at me a minute, then followed Erma. My mom and Pink followed.

I smiled up at Dad as he took my arm in his and we walked out the door together. For years, I'd wondered if Dad would be able to walk me down the aisle because he used to be an alcoholic. That was way before he met and married Erma when I was in seventh grade. It was with Erma that he had Leola, and Ty.

It was going to be a beautiful wedding after all. After so many years of dating Randy and being through a lot, including that awful scandal, we were finally getting married.

By tonight, I'd be Mrs. Randy Kirwan. And I was going to be a June bride! I got all dreamy thinking of Randy waiting at the church alter with me heading toward him.

I remembered that when my mom married Pink, I'd dreamed about my own wedding with a white lacy dress with a long train and veil. Looks like that came true, I thought once we got outside and I looked down at my long white wedding gown.

We were headed over to where my uncle, aunt, and two cousins, Jay and Tara Drake were staying and picking them up, then heading to St. Micheal's Church on Blanche Lane near Randy's house. My uncle is Mom's younger brother.

* * *

Dad drove one car with me in it while Pink drove the other car with the others. When we got there, Mom's parents were there as well as the Drakes and so was Randy's cousin, Todd Kirwan. So for the next few minutes, there was the re-shuffling on which cars to take. Just then, Randy's parents pulled up and got out.

"Randy's on his way to the church with his other cousins and his sister," his mom announced. "My, my, Jana don't you look lovely!"

"Tara...Jay?" My aunt Georgia called into the motel. "You kids ready?"

"Yeah..." It sounded like seventeen-year-old Jay and he came flouncing out.

Nineteen-year-old Tara took longer. She and I have never gotten along. I've always found her to be spoiled and I'm glad that she lives in North Carolina and not around here, so I don't have to put up with her often.

Finally, after taking her dear sweet time, she came out wearing a pure white long dress! I stared at her in disbelief as she said hello to everyone but me.

"Why is she wearing white?" I snapped. Aunt Georgia looked surprised, then looked at my dress, then at hers.

"I've never heard..." Aunt Georgia looked over at me questioningly. She knows why I can't stand Tara.

"Only the bride is supposed to wear white," I told my aunt as if she didn't know.

"Tara..." Aunt Georgia's face flushed a little. "Do you by chance have another dress in another color you can quickly change into?"

"No..." Tara glared at me and folded her arms across her chest. "Why? Is the bride afraid of me stealing the show?"

"Oh, don't worry, you couldn't if you tried," I sniped back at her, annoyed at her already.

"I guess...I'm sorry." My aunt looked helplessly at me. "It was my fault; I should have checked with Tara before we came." So that was that; my spoiled brat of a cousin showing up in white like a bride when _I'M_ the bride here. Fabulous.

* * *

**Tara:**

I was going to be sooo glad when this wedding was over! I only came at Mom's insistence, but my cousin Jana I can do without. She's twenty-one, yet practically threw a tantrum like a five-year-old just because I wore the same color dress! Big, fat deal! She has to be the center of attention all the time and gets all offended if anyone deigns to step on "her" turf.

We finally decided who would go in which car and I wound up in the same car is Jay, Todd, and Jana. I didn't want to ride with Jana, but Mom heaved a gusty sigh and ordered me to in this exasperated voice. Jana looked as if she was going to throw another tantrum, but her mom also gave her a _LOOK_, so she flounced into the back seat.

Jay was driving and Todd sat in front next to him, so I had no choice but to ride not only with Jana, but be crammed in the back with her pompous, puffed-out dress all over the place.

On the way to the church, Todd and Jay rattled on and on about different things and occasionally I put in something while Jana sulked and sighed in silence. Well, sor-ry if I ruined _HER_ big day!

I guess Jana realized that she was making an idiot of herself and didn't want to look stupid in front of her fiancee's cousin, so she added in an occasional comment to either Todd or Jay.

My brother joked a little, I think trying to put Todd at ease, since Todd is a very reserved person unlike Randy, who's very outgoing.

Once we got to the church, we scrambled out, well everyone except Jana, who got out very slowly since I gathered she didn't want to have a single wrinkle or smudge on her precious dress. I almost gagged when I saw her preen her hair through her veil. I turned on my heel and headed into the church vestibule.

Jana's little half-sister Leola was there with Erma. Leola is one sharp kid. She's got these big brown eyes and thick, straight, dark hair with a fringe of bangs.

"Hi, Tara!" she called.

"Hello, dear!" I gave her a small hug. "Don't you look wonderful!"

"Thank you." She beamed up at me. She was wearing a lavender silk dress and had matching little pearl-like barrettes in her dark brown hair. "You look pretty too."

"So how do you feel about Randy and your sister getting married?"

"Half-sister," Leola amended. "It's all right, I guess. I don't know Randy that well. I hear we're going to have a huge party afterward."

"That's right."

"Is it 'spensive?"

"I imagine it is," I laughed a little. "But it's covered. I think Jana's dad, Pink, and Randy's parents are paying for this wedding and the party."

"Hey, Tara..."

"Yeah..."

"Doesn't it bother you that men are doing all the driving here?" she asked.

"What...I guess," I was startled by her frankness. "I...guess now that I think of it, yes. People kind of assume that the guys do all the driving in mixed-gender situations, but it is rather old-fashioned thinking. In a lot of other families, women do just as much of the driving. After all, it is the twenty-first century." Tara nodded, seeming to think it over as more people came into the church.

The ceremony itself was a little dull. When the church organ sounded to _Here Comes The Bride_ and Jana walked into the church on her dad's arm, everybody stood and looked over at them.

I stifled the urge to boo or thrown a hymn book at her. Jana's mom, who was behind me, teared up and had to get out tissues.

Once Jana and her dad reached the front, her dad sat and with Jana and Randy standing side by side at the altar, the minister gave this overly long sermon about the covenant of marriage and all that from the Bible and God joining two souls into one, yakyakyak.

Finally, when he pronounced Jana and Randy husband and wife and they kissed, Jana's mom burst into tears. Randy's mom reached over and handed her more tissues.

I just hoped Jana wouldn't see her mom blubbering all over the place; I know Jana would be mortified and probably avoid her mom for days for tarnishing her social "image."

"God...married..." I heard Erma sigh. "Hard to believe."

* * *

**Randy:**

Hard to believe, yet not so hard. Somehow, I always knew this day would come. Jana becoming my wife. I thought that over as we left the church to head to the reception. Outside, Leola wound up near us and talked up a storm. I pulled out my keys to the car. It felt so good knowing I'd have Jana beside me as my wife in the car.

"Hey, Jana," I heard Leola pipe up. "Do you always let Randy drive?" I stifled a laugh.

"Yeah, guys like to drive," Jana told her with a sigh.

"Doesn't that bother you?" Leola asked. Leola's one corker, I thought. In some ways, she reminded me of a girl Jana and I used to know back in middle and high school, Katie Shannon, who was a feminist and always sounding off on one cause or another. I wondered if Leola was heading in that direction too. Maybe she should have been Katie's little sister.

"No, why should it?" Jana asked defensively.

"Because it shows that females are considered second-class citizens."

"Leee-ola..." I heard Erma calling. Leola ran off calling, "Byyyyye!" Jana let out a sigh of relief.

"I hope she doesn't wind up like Whitney Larkin," Jana groaned once we were in the car and on the way to the hotel ballroom where the reception would take place. "Remember that girl who skipped sixth grade, nerdy and tiny? I'm afraid Leola's too precocious for her own good."

"I was thinking that she reminded me of Katie Shannon," I chuckled. "Remember what a feminist she always was spouting off on how terribly women were treated?" We both laughed.

"Heeeey, I'm a woman and I don't feel mistreated or second-class," Jana fluttered her eyes at me and we kissed.

* * *

**Jay:**

The reception itself was a little dull, but the food was good. Randy and Jana smooched every few minutes. As the meal wound down, the photographer took a million pictures of them and since both Jana and Randy love to have their picture taken and be the center of attention, they ate it all up. Randy was especially having fun and at one point started hamming it up for the camera and stuck out his tongue and crossed his eyes once, making some of the guests around him laugh.

"Randy..." Jana tugged at his sleeve. She whispered something at him. Randy shrugged, then I guess Jana didn't want him getting _TOO_ goofy because after that, Randy settled down and they smiled normal smiles of a traditional proper couple.

Next to me, my sister glared at Jana and muttered something about, "...that pompous phony..." Me, I couldn't wait to get back home and e-mail my girlfriend, Jeri Zyman. Next year, we'd both be seniors and ready to graduate. Seems hard to believe that Randy and Jana graduated from high school just three short years ago and now they're a married couple.

* * *

**Randy:**

I was so glad when I got to drive home with just Jana later on that night. We talked a little as I drove, then Jana drifted off to sleep, her head in my lap.

It was a little past midnight and I thought over the fact that we're now married. Mr. and Mrs. Randy Kirwan. Wow. I grinned.

We were both living with my parents now. Pink, Dad, and I had moved Jana's stuff over to my house yesterday and my parents had bought a double bed for my bedroom so it could become our bedroom.

My dad's friend, who's a lawyer, had gotten me a slightly better-paying job as an office clerk. It's not my ideal kind of job, but hey I figured eventually, I could save up little by little and get back into sports, maybe look up a local team or something that professional coaches scouted out and maybe I'd be noticed and they'd pick me for one of their teams.

I know professional players make a lot of money, even starters, so once I got in, I figured I could get a house for Jana and me and we'd really be on our way.

Jana still worked at Tanninger's since we could still use all the money we could earn right now and last Christmas, Jana had done a little modeling for Tanninger's catalogues.

But until I got into pro sports or something along that line, we'd have to just live at home with my parents; even an apartment was way too expensive for us now.

Thank God that Homecoming fiasco at Connecticut U. was behind us now. My parents definitely had put it behind them and so had Jana's 'rents. I was sooo glad not to have to deal with those other jerks in that mess, especially Logan Bruno and Melanie Edwards, two of the most self-centered idiots on this side of the world.

Neither Jana or I have seen or heard from any of them since last November, when we had the big fight at the re-union dance and we were just as glad. So, it seemed like that debacle was over and we were turning over a new page in our lives, Jana and I. And now that Jana and I were officially adults, we'd be the ones to decide our lives from now on...together as a married couple.

_Storyline Copyright 2002_ by **CNJ**


End file.
